The Story Of Bellatrix Lestrange
by sacredpotatoe90210
Summary: Bellatrix turned around to face Molly Weasley right as the bright green curse slammed into her chest. Right before Bellatrix dies, she recalls her past, growing up as a Black. R&R! Complete
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

_**CHAPTER ONE**_

"...BITCH!"

Bellatrix Lestrange cackled with laughter, and the red-haired woman in front of her shook with fury. She stared at the fat woman, daring her to curse or hex her. Bellatrix opened her mouth to speak but nothing came when she saw the flash of green light coming from the end of Molly Weasley's wand. Her eyes widened and she knew exactly what was happening. The bright lime green curse slammed into her chest.

**FLASHBACK! **

Bellatrix, surrounded by all of her baggage, her enormous black owl, and a few snacks, sat beside her sister on a bench in front of where the Hogwarts Express was soon to be. Narcissa, who would have her day the following year, held a sour expression on her face as she swung her feet over the ground because she was too small to reach it from her seat. It was to be Bellatrix's first year at Hogwarts and she was utterly excited. However, being a Black, she was not allowed to express her excitement, so she just bit her bottom lip and looked down.

There was a huge gust of wind and one of the loudest noises she had ever heard, next to her mother and father's arguments, as a giant scarlet train roared to a stop on the tracks. Smoke filled the crowded station and a small man jumped out amongst it all to shout:

"Hogwarts Express! Enter carefully, watch your step!"

Bellatrix looked up and watched the conductor help some fellow first years onto the train. A firm hand grasped her shoulder. She looked up at her mother, who was the owner of the hand, and her father.

"Bellatrix, we will write once a week and you will be coming home for the holidays to have dinner with the family," her mother, Druella, stated with a stone face.

"Be good, and see to it that your cousin, Sirius, does not disturb the peace. Last thing we need to hear is Walburga ranting on about his being such a disgrace," her father, Cygnus, said exactly the same way her mother spoke.

Andromeda, who was nine, just stared wildly at all the commotion, taking it all in and looking to her mother for explanation that never came.

Bellatrix looked at her feet and then to the train. She stacked all of her luggage and looked at her mother, father, and siblings to finalize her going away for a few months. And she pulled her stuff onto the train with Sirius Black following her on.

Bellatrix opened a compartment that was empty towards the back. Sirius had barely put his foot in when she held up a hand and said, "Nuh-uh, go find somewhere else to sit." Sirius shrugged his shoulders and his face, just for a split second, sighed with relief.

Bellatrix pushed herself against the window and stared at the vast openness of the fields the train was leading them through. Her breath fogged the window and she suddenly wiped it away because it began to cloud what she could see outdoors. She looked behind her and into the rest of her four person compartment. One boy was sitting with her. He clearly was engaged in a book. His black hair was greasy and near shoulder length. The boy scratched at his protruding nose and pushed some hair behind his ears. He was none other than Severus Snape. Bellatrix stared for a few seconds before turning back to the window.

"Any sweets for you children?"

Bellatrix jolted from her thoughts and her eyes narrowed as she looked over to the door. Turning up her nose at the short, stout woman who pushed the sweet cart, she curtly said, "no."

"Yes, a cauldron cake and the licorice," Severus spoke quietly.

The woman nodded and handed the little packages to him. And she trudged on, pushing her cart.

It was dark when the train pulled up into a heavily wooded forest. There was a dirt path in front of Bellatrix as she faced the woods, clutching all of her baggage. An enormous man stood in front of all the students and led them to a shoreline. Across the lake, all of the newcomers gasped. What they saw in front of them was a huge castle. The lights lit up the sky and reflected onto the lake. The crescent moon glistened in the water. Bellatrix stared in awe.

The man introduced himself as Hagrid The Gameskeeper before sending the students off in two-person boats to the other side of the lake. Bellatrix climbed into the boat, only grasping her owl's cage. She had to leave her baggage with Hagrid The Gameskeeper so he could take it to the school. A skinny, sickly looking boy climbed into the boat behind her. They faced each other and she stared him down. His clothes were obviously hand-me-downs because they were tattered and worn. His face was pale and sunken. His hair was a light brown, almost blonde, but not quite, and it was neatly combed. He avoided her gaze.

When he did look at her he asked, "So what house do you want?"

Bellatrix flashed her eyes in his direction, "Slytherin of course." She pursed her lips.

After a silence, maybe he expected her to ask him what he wanted, but she didn't care enough. The boy said, "I want to be in Gryffindor."

"Fascinating. Really." Bellatrix could kill someone with her sarcasm.

"I'm Remus Lupin."

"Bellatix Black."

Bellatrix ended the exchange of words by turning her body to face the other shore, opposite of Remus.

It was a few minutes until their boat bumped into the rocks and another fat, grotesque teacher pulled them into the grass. He faintly smiled at the two before stating, loud and clear, that he was, in fact, Professor Slughorn. HE was going to be their Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Her nose crinkled at the sight. SHE was supposed to learn what her family valued most from this _man_?

Hagrid The Gameskeeper's voice boomed once again to shout "Firs' years! Firs' years! Over here!" A crowd of jittery children walked to him. Once Hagrid had all of the children amongst him, he beckoned them to follow him into the school. The doorway was huge and opened into a room where another professor, woman this time, came up and said for them to wait for her to come back. Whispers and voices filled the room at once. Bellatrix stood alone. She craned her neck to look around. Sirius was laughing with another boy. She observed them with her head cocked to the side and her eyes squinted slightly. _...Sirius? With a friend?_

The other boy was slightly smaller than Sirius; his hair was black and disheveled. He wore glasses. And he was also nicely dressed in dress robes and his wand was poking from his pocket. As soon as he turned his body while he spoke to Sirius, he faced in Bellatrix's direction and she knew EXACTLY who he was.

The blood-traitor son of the Potter family. James Potter.

Bellatrix's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Sirius turned his head and made complete eye contact with her. His face whitened considerably. Her mind raced, _how could he think he could get away from me long enough to make friends with Potter?!_ She was dumbstruck.

She would write mother after the sorting. Immediately. Who knew what kind of trouble Sirius was in? Did this make him a blood-traitor now? What was going to happen now?

The professor returned and she opened her pursed lips to speak, "I am Professor McGonagall. If you would follow me now, we will begin the sorting." She abruptly turned on her heels and led the students into another room.

This one was enormous, just like everything else that seemed to be in this school. The ceilings were charmed into taking form of the sky. Stars twinkled above the four tables that sat in the middle of the room. Giant paintings hung from the walls that looked like they were made from cathedrals. A long desk was up in the front with teachers facing the crowd of students. Hagrid The Gameskeeper sat at the end, drinking from a goblet the size of a water pail. In the middle, front and center, sat a very old man. He had a long white beard and his robes were a pale blue, which she would learn in the future were the color of his piercing eyes. He was the well known Professor Dumbledore. In the Black house, he was spoken very ill of. He was a muggle-lover.

An old hat sat upon a stool in front of the teachers' table. The Sorting Hat sang a very loud song to the students. Bellatrix ignored the song because it was simply boring. She knew what the hat sang about - the houses and why they are supposed to mean so much the school. It was all very lame to her.

She was one of the first twenty students to be called.

"Avery, Ryan!" McGonagall called to the students. A nervous boy stood up and slinked over the stool. The hat was placed on his head and after about five seconds--

"SLYTHERIN!"

Avery stumbled off the seat but practically skipped to the Slytherin table, where the older students cheered for him.

"Black, Bellatrix!"

Bellatrix stood up, her knees shook ferociously. She straightened her back and stood to her full height. She lifted her chin and marched to the stool, where she sat down. The hat barely grazed her head before shouting:

"SLYTHERIN!"

A wave of relief swept her body as she was welcome by the table. She turned in her seat to face the front where Sirius had just been called up.

The seconds turned to minutes before, to her horror, the hat shouted unmistakably, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The room was dead silent.

A sheepish half-smile appeared on Sirius's face. Bellatrix was taken back by his reaction. In the middle of the silence, Sirius turned to face Bellatrix. All the students, and the teachers, followed his gaze to his cousin. He lifted his arm, and put his hand to his head and saluted her. Eyes widened, gasps were gasped and the Gryffindor table exploded with hoots, hollers, and whistles. James Potter, guaranteed a spot in Gryffindor, (confirmed later), clapped Sirius on the back.

Bellatrix strode into the common room and sat herself upon her bed. She looked down in front of her, and held her quill to the parchment.

_Dear Mother,_

_I have a bunch of news for you._

_I got into Slytherin. But about Sirius..._

She continued writing, informing her mother of the events that occurred that night.


	2. Chapter 2

_**CHAPTER TWO**_

Hunger seemed to explode from Bellatrix's belly as she awoke with a start. She undressed from her nightgown and redressed into her green robes. She straightened out her coarse black hair and pulled it into a ponytail.

As she rounded to corner into the great hall, she was immediately greeted with the bright sun and tables filled with every breakfast food in the world. She sat herself between Evan Rosier and Ryan Avery. A plate popped from nowhere in front of her, followed by the clanking of several eating utensils. Bellatix placed a scone, eggs, sausage and bacon onto her plate. She ate with the best manners she could muster. _Maybe these boys could learn a thing or two from me!_ , she thought to herself.

Owls circled above all the students' heads towards the end of breakfast. Bellatrix's black owl swooped an dropped a peice of parchment into the remnants of her eggs. She unfolded the scroll and read:

_This was news to Walburga. Thank you for telling us._

As if on cue, another black owl swooped into the Great Hall with a bright red envelope clutched in its talons. It fell onto Sirius's head, and Sirius whitened again as he slowly opened it.

_SIRIUS BLACK, YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD LOVER! YOU ARE A BLOOD TRAITOR NOW! DONT YOU DARE COME HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! YOU ARE UNWELCOME INTO OUR HOME! HOW DARE YOU DISGRACE THE NOBLE AND MOST ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK?! DISGRACE! DISGRACE! DISGRACE! YOU DISGUST YOUR FATHER AND I! IT SICKENS ME TO THINK A CHILD OF MINE, LET ALONE A BLACK, COULD BE SO FILTHY! SCUM!_

And with that, maddened voice of Walburga Black ended. The letter burst into flames and left Sirius stunned, staring at his empty plate of food. Once again, the Great Hall was silenced because of Sirius's doing. The teachers' eyes were all fixed towards the Gryffindor table. Bellatrix looked at Sirius. He looked over his shoulder at her and he glared. He knew she sent a letter informing the Black family of what happened the night before.

Dumbledore stood up and spoke, not needing to magnify his voice because of the silence that was blanketing the Hall.

"Classes will begin in ten minutes, if you would please follow your schedules, they will direct you to your first class. Thank you." Dumbledore sat down regally in his chair.

Bellatrix stood up at her seat and walked out of the hall. Her aunt sounded furious. Sirius deserved it though. He is a filthy traitor. He was also probably going to be blasted from the family tree, if he hadnt already. She looked at her schedule to see what she had as her first class: Charms.

Taking her seat, in the center of the room, she carefully laid a peice of parchment in front of her. Upon the top of the paper was the Black Family Crest. Her father gave her lots of parchment with it stamped on the top. Probably so no one will ever forget they are teaching a Black.

As the teacher talked for what seemed like hours about Charms, Bellatrix lost herself in her thoughts. She thought about the howler, her stupid cousin, her family, and learning powerful magic. The thought of the dark arts thrilled her.

When the bell signaled the end of class, the teacher looked flustered, he had not finished his speech. Picking up her supplies, she squeezed out of her isle and promptly ran into another student. All of her papers floated to the ground, scattering under desks and people's feet. Her face crumpled with anger as she looked to see who had the nerve to bump into her. Of course, it was the Snape boy again. He looked horrified when he bent down and scurried to pick up the papers he had knocked from Bellatrix's arms. She huffed when everything was back into her clutch and she looked into the boy's face.

"Watch where you are going Severus. That was very rude." She consitered being kind to him because he was a pure-blood and her mother praised her when she did the right things.

"I-I-Im sorry. I really didnt mean to. I was looking over at..." His voice trailed off when he glanced up to the front of the room, seeing a red headed girl speaking to the professor.

"Whatever." Bellatrix said as she turned to leave the room.

The red-headed girl laughed and Severus was still staring at her intently. Bellatrix exited.

Shoving her way through the halls, she landed into her destination - the common room. She collapsed on a chair with exhastion because the halls were so crowded, it took work to menuever through them. Another girl came to sit beside Bellatrix.

"Hello, Bellatrix, my name is Dezerea Prewett. We have Charms together! Remember me? I sit three seats over!" Dezerea smiled at her kindly.

"Yes, I know you." Bellatrix spoke, a flicker of a smile appeared on her face, and it disappeared just as fast.

"Anyways, I noticed you dont talk to that many people, and I just thought that maybe you wanted some company! Im sure that since we are in the same house, that we have many, probably all, classes together!" Dezerea said quickly.

"That sounds fine. Thank you." Bellatrix licked her lips and turned her gaze towards the girl. She needed a friend to pass the time. She was pure-blood. Almost all Slytherins are. All because of Salazar. He seemed like the only person with a head on his shoulders back in that time. Mudbloods and muggle borns should have never been allowed into Hogwarts.

"Anyways, since we have an hour before our next class, I want you to meet some of my friends! Ive really known them forever, and..." Bellatrix tuned out for a bit. This girl could talk forever if it was offered to her. When Dezerea stood, Bellatrix followed in suit. She followed her down the corridor stairs and into the Great Hall. They passed through the Hall, also passing the Bloody Baron (their house ghost).

"Good day girls!" He said in a loud voice. The girls ignored him and stomped on.

Dezerea led Bellatrix onto the front lawn of the school where a few students were gathered. Dezerea stood just outside the group and pointed a few students out and said their name.

The small boy with blonde hair was named Ryan Avery.

She already knew Snape.

The also short red-headed boy was named just "Mulciber".

The other blonde boy, who was somewhat tall was named Even Rosier.

Bellatrix let a grin spread on her face and Dezerea pointed out the last boy's name. Rodolphus Lestrange. He was very handsome for such a young boy. He was average height, he had dark brown hair, and wicked-looking brown eyes. His gaze fell on Bellatrix.

Dezerea waved at the group and started talking with Avery and Mulciber.

Rodolphus was still looking at Bellatrix. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her black hair was still pulled back into a curly black ponytail. She had heavily lidded eyes and very fair skin. She had cherry red lips and grey eyes. He was very entranced.

She took a step forward to engage him in a conversation.

"Hello, Im--"

"Bellatrix Black, I know. Im a second year here." He held out his hand and shook hers lightly.

Bellatrix's day flew by. She was thinking alot about the Lestrange boy. He wasnt in any of her classes because he was a year older.

About a few months later, Bellatrix was walking back onto the grounds with Rosier. They had just finished doing their exams to test how much they learned in the first semester. She was holding her books against her chest as she followed him. They heard shouts and laughter coming from around a corner of the school. As they rounded it, they saw a massive amounts of kids surrounding Sirius, Potter, and Severus. She and Rosier stood back a few feet to watch the scene unfold.

"Alright there Snivellus?" Potter said, practically shouting.

Severus dropped his stuff and grabbed his wand from his pocket.

"Expelliarmus!" Potter yelled. Severus's wand now rested twenty feet away. Sirius barked with laughter at Severus's misfortune.

"Impedimenta!" Potter yelled again as Severus ran for his wand. He fell and landed with a thud, as though tripped in mid-step.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at how pathetic Severus was being.

Sirius relentlessly hassled Severus about the exams. "I watched him, his nose was practically touching the parchment. There will be grease marks all over it! They wont be able to read a word!" Sirius said loudly.

Severus screeched with hexes and curses directed at Sirius. They were useless because his wand was still in the grass a ways away.

"Wash your mouth! Scourgify!" Potter defended Sirius.

The red-headed girl from her Charms class shoved Bellatrix over as she pushed her way to the front. "Leave him ALONE!" the girl shouted.

She and Potter squabbled for a minute or so before Severus held his want to Potter's back. "OY!" Sirius exclaimed.

Bellatrix grinned, proud of Severus. Severus muttered something and huge, bleeding gashes struck James's face. His golden robes were spattered with blood. Potter swung around and shouted a spell that Bellatrix had not heard before. Right before everyone's eyes, Severus was pulled up into the air and flipped upside down. He hung as though a rope was tied to his ankles. Severus's robes fell to reveal his worn underpants.

The red-head, now named Lily by Potter, yelled at Potter. Then, to Bellatrix's happy suprise, Severus shouted at Lily and called her a Mudblood.

Severus was hexed, cursed, and jinxed repeatedly from Potter.

Back at in the common room, Bellatrix and Rosier were playing chess, wizard's style, when Severus walked in.

Rosier looked up and then raced over to Severus and clapped him on the back.

"What spell did you use on Potter?" Rosier asked excitedly. He had never seen anything like it. It slashed Potter's face like a sword. It was dark magic. Very obviously.

"One of my creations." Severus said coldly.

"Nice. So--" Rosier began.

"Im going to bed." Severus walked into the boys' dormitory and left Rosier right where he was standing.

"What a nice guy." Rosier commented bitterly to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix raised her eyebrows. "Yeah."


	3. Chapter 3

_**CHAPTER THREE**_

Bellatrix's school year was wasting away quickly. With one month left of school, she had began to get anxious. Her parents were writing less and less, to the point where receiving an owl from them was only for little news updates within the family. Her classes picked up pace, and the end-of-the-year exams were coming very soon. The hallway she was walking through got lighter meaning the Great Hall was just ahead. She glanced at the walls, looking at the pictures of old teachers, headmasters, and student awards that hung on them. She walked past a suit of armor that bowed after her. She then lifted and turned her gaze to straight ahead where she saw Severus walking ahead of her. Bellatrix lengthened her stride to catch up.

"Severus! Wait up!"

Severus kept walking from her.

"Oh come off it! Your no Mr. Mystery, Severus! So quit acting like it!" Bellatrix snapped at his cold expression.

"Bellatrix, you dont even know what you are talking about! You cant even stand up for your 'friends'! Here I am being tortured by James again for the fifth time this month! He embarrassed me in front of the entire great hall! THEY ENLARGED MY NOSE TO DOUBLE ITS SIZE!" Roared Severus. His voice dropped, "You looked at me. I saw you! ...You even smirked. Then you left them to laugh at me. You took _their_ side?! Youre mad. Are you a traitor to the Slytherins, Bellatrix Black? You know we have to stick up for eachother, why didnt you for me?"

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed and she drew her wand. She pointed it at Severus's face and spat, "Take that back Severus! You know I cant go and hex my own cousin!" Knowing that she really could, she lied through her teeth to Severus. If it would save herself, she would do it. She pushed her face an inch from his and hissed, "As for Potter, we all know he is Dumbledore's favorite. Messing up his face could get me expelled!" A hint of lunacy flashed in her eyes as they widened in anger. The wand sparked with magic that was produced from her anger alone.

"YOUR SUPPOSED TO BE MY FRIEND!" Shouted Severus. A few heads turned in the hallways to look at the arguement.

"I DONT NEED FRIENDS! I AM FINE ON MY OWN!" She yelled. Bellatrix closed her eyes. She was furious. _Not a good friend? He should be grateful I even talk to him!_ When she opened them Severus was watching her with a look of dispise on his face. By then, the people that were watching had either left, or rolled their eyes at how strange she was being.

-----

A house elf entered the common room.

"M-M-Miss Black?" sputtered the little house elf, "Its growing darker in this room. I-I-I just wanted to ask you if you like me to light the fire?" The house elf motioned to the fireplace.

"That would be nice, thank you," Bellatrix didnt even look up from her 'Care of Magical Creatures Year: One' book.

The house elf bowed deeply and walked slowly to the dark fireplace.

Rodolphus walked in from the corridors and glanced at the house elf who had placed about a foot in front of the empty fireplace. He looked at Bellatrix, who was sitting cross-legged in the big chair at the end of the table.

Trying not to pay attention to him, she blushed and kept reading. _"A bite from the Gurtsped can be fatal if not treated right. The only cure.."_ Rodolphus watched her with a half smile. Bellatrix gave in and looked up at him. Just then, the fire boomed and the room was filled with a dim, flickering light.

CRACK! The house elf disapparated.

"---So," Rodolphus began, looking somewhat alarmed at the sudden sound, "Bella, I heard Severus is quite angry with you, eh?" He pryed with a smile.

"Its very likely, yes." Bellatrix stated, her eyes not leaving his. She cocked her head to the side, a characteristic her mother always did, "Why do you ask Lestrange?"

"No reason, some Slytherins were talking about it in Herbology."

"Oh." She looked down at her book. She was nearly halfway through the chapter she was assigned to read.

"Anyways, I just wanted to know, how big DID Severus's nose get?"

Bellatrix giggled to herself, but let a smile slip across her beautiful face, "Pretty big. But not that much out of the ordinary size."

And at that, Rodolphus chuckled and left the room to his dormitory.

She let out a deep breath and looked out the window in front of her. The storm thundered loudly and the rain pounded the window.

-----

During supper that night, Avery and another Slytherin, Talus, were in deep conversation about the latest article in the Prophet.

"...it was Him!" Avery whispered.

"You-Know-Who?" Talus asked worried.

"I mean, look at what it says, 'After months of not being heard from, officials found the two well known missing persons - Rhona and Isiah Feharny. Their remains were found in a ravine a few blocks from their home.' He struck again, Talus! They were muggle borns! It says down here!" Avery said to Talus.

"Yeah? Well, its about time they did something about them. Maybe He can clear out some of this filth," Talus said snidely, pointing a finger over his shoulder to the students in the other tables.

Bellatrix sat down next to them, and they turned their attention towards her.

"Bella, did you hear about what happened in the newspaper?" Avery asked, almost excited.

"Yup, Mother says that it serves them right for stealing magic from other wizards," She said as-of-matter-of-factly.

"Yeah!" Avery agreed, "Mudbloods!"

McGonagall stood from her spot at the teacher's table. She walked over to the middle of the room and pointed the wand at her throat. "Students! Quiet please!" The hall fell silent as they all turned to look at the professor. "Thank you. As you all may have known, another attack has been made by the Dark Lord. We-the teachers and headmaster-would like to tell you that you are safe here. We want you all to be comfortable and assured that nothing bad can happen at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There are more safety spells on this school than anywhere else in the world at the moment!" McGonagall looked around the room. A student raised her hand.

"Where is Professor Dumbledore?" Lily Evans spoke up.

"The headmaster is on leave right now. The has other duties to do as well as sitting in his office!" McGonagall said shortly.

Bellatrix snorted. _That old man? He could probably barely lift his wand properly! _She smirked at her own joke.

McGonagall turned and sat back in her seat and began a discussion with Professor Slughorn.

"My mum said that You-Know-Who is going to rise to power probably by the time we get out of Hogwarts!" Piped up Dezerea.

Bellatrix thought about that for a moment before saying, "The Dark Lord has already risen to power, Dezerea, He just hasn't made it official."

Rodolphus leaned in, "When I turn sixteen I am going to join Him."

Bellatrix's eyes widened and she smiled. _He is so brave!_ "Thats cool," She said as he brushed some of his hair from his eyes.

"Me too!" Grinned Avery.

"I will be sure I will be his right-hand man," Spoke a voice that had not previously been in the conversation.

Taken by suprise the group turned their heads to see Severus staring, his eyes glinting with self-pride. Bellatrix rolled her eyes. He was too much of a coward to be given that task. Just then, an owl came down from the ceiling towards Bellatrix. Startled by how off-time it was, she took the letter from its leg, fearing someone in the Black family was in trouble.

_Dear Bellatrix,_

_You can come home for summer break. You will be staying with Sirius and Regulus at their home. Because you are the oldest, I would like it if you would take care of Andromeda and Narcissa too. They will be there when you arrive in two weeks. _

_We will be out of the country during the summer months because we have to help a family aquaintance._

_Druella and Cygnus Black_

Bellatrix looked upset. The last thing she wanted was to stay with the blood traitor's side of the family. Another owl swooped down and dropped a peice of parchment for Sirius. His expression was the same as hers.

-----

Later that night, Bellatrix tossed and turned in bed. She couldnt sleep so she arose, tossed the blankets over and stepped down into the common room. Severus was sleeping soundly on top of his books. His body was oddly twisted to rest in the wooden seat he was in. The fire was magically still blazing before him. She sighed, still a little frustrated at him for their arguement the day before. She leaned over to poke him in the back, right before her finger was about to touch him he spoke,

"Dont even think about it, Bella." Severus said with a little humor in his voice. She smiled.

"How did you know? You were just asleep!" She asked him, in a faked shocked voice.

"I was not, I JUST finished my essay for Defense Against The Dark Arts, and I laid my head down in exhastion." He lifted his head and smoothed his greasy hair consiterably.

"Oh. Well, dang. I wanted to wake you!" She smiled again.

"Well, I didnt want you to! 'Night Bella." Severus stood up and lugged his books with him up the stairs.

"Wait! Severus!" Severus turned around to face her. "Are we still friends?" She asked, slightly abashed.

"Yeah, I guess."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER ONE

_**CHAPTER FOUR**_

Bellatrix stood facing her bed. It was stripped of everything on and around it. It would be about another 12 hours before she would arrive at Walburga's Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. She looked around at all of the other empty beds. A few peers hung around to say goodbyes but most had left and headed for the Great Hall. Her owl hooted at her as she picked up the cage and set it atop all of her bags. Biting her bottom lip, She headed down the steps to the common room where Avery sat, staring into the fire.

"Hello Avery. It's good to see you here." She collapsed on the chair in front of him as she spoke.

"Yeah. I don't want to go home. It will be lonely you know?" Avery said unhappily.

A breeze blew in from the open window on the south wall. "I know what you mean." She looked down as she spoke. She bit the inside of her cheek.

"But, we have no choice," Avery stood up. He turned to Bellatrix and nodded, "I will see you next year Bella, best of luck for the summer."

Bellatrix nodded. "See you." She waited until he left the room before she decided to leave. Grabbing her stuff, she pushed the back of the statue that guarded the Slytherin House entrance. Pulling her things down the tower, she stumbled a few times before making it into the Great Hall. The Great Hall was for all the people who were taking the Hogwarts Express, or just wanted to hear Dumbledore's end-of-the-year farewell. Bellatrix took a seat besides two chattering Slytherin girls and faced the front of the hall.

"Students, students, please lets be silent. The end of the year has come so fast. It seemed like just yesterday when I was welcoming first years into the school. Now, these wonderful first years are about to become second years. I wish you all the best over the summer." Dumbledore's eyes glittered with pride as he surveyed the crowd of students, "I know this was the last year for some of you," Professor McGonagall wiped her eyes as she stood behind Dumbledore. "You will always have a place in Hogwarts. I hope that each of you seventh year students' will grow, prosper, and live you life to the fullest potential. I'm proud that I was honored to be your headmaster--"

"—NO! PROFESSOR! WE WERE THE ONES THAT FELT HONORED!" A Hufflepuff shouted out. Many happy yells and shouts came from the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables (not many came from Slytherin).

"--Thank you Mr. Gordon, that was much appreciated." Dumbledore smiled and continued on, "The Seventh Year graduation and party will be held tomorrow from ten in the morning until, well, everyone leaves. For the rest of you, I will see you next year. I hope it will be as successful as this one." Dumbledore waved at the students as the shouted, yelled, whooped, and hollered.

Bellatrix boarded the train at eleven. When she got on, she pulled her luggage behind her, frustrated with how much it weighed. She looked in every compartment until she found the one with Sirius in it.

"Hullo Bella!" Sirius greeted, louder than needed.

Bellatrix grunted in acknowledgement. She hoisted her luggage into the shelf above and placed her owl on the seat beside where she was sitting. She sat down, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. Taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out, she allowed herself to relax.

Before Bellatrix knew it, three other boys came rampaging into the room.

"Ah boys! How are you, mates?" Sirius grinned.

"Not bad!" Potter replied excitedly.

"I'm great." Remus Lupin smiled shyly.

"Mph! What?" A short, stocky boy asked, looking confused. _Maybe he wasn't confused. It looks to me like he is just stupid._ Bellatrix thought to herself.

"Who is this lovely lady?!" Potter asked, wiggling his eyebrows and leaning in Bellatrix's direction.

"Er, James, that's my cousin, Bella." Sirius said with his eyes wide in horror.

"Get your blood-traitor self away from me! Filthy so-called-wizard!" howled Bellatrix.

Potter made a growling noise, "Ooo feisty!"

Sirius barked with laughter.

Disgusted, Bellatrix huffed and faced the window. She started to daze out and left the boys alone.

"James! James! Do that thing again!" Sirius shouted with glee.

James took his butter beer and stuck a straw in the cup and sucked in a giant mouthful and clenched his eyes shut. Looking like he was constipated, his face turned purple. All of the sudden, a shower of butter beer sprayed the floor, thoroughly soaking it, from Jame's nose. The boys exploded with laughter.

"Alrigh' Sirius, I did it, your turn to do something now!" James said, wiping the butter beer that was still dribbling from his nose.

"Fine, fine." said Sirius with a rather straight face. He held a full-sized grape in his hand. He showed it to the now silent boys. As if in slow motion, he took the grape between his index and thumb fingers and pushed it into his nose. At that moment, Bellatrix came back to Earth and looked over to see what Sirius was doing. She shrieked, practically traumatized.

"CANT YOU BE NORMAL FOR EVEN A FEW MINUTES?! IF THAT GETS STUCK IN YOUR NOSE, IM NOT GOING TO HELP YOU! WAIT UNTIL YOUR MOTHER HEARS THIS!" Bellatrix screeched.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders and James clapped him on the back. "We'll help you, mate, if it gets stuck up there!" James grinned.

"Yeah, because I really trust YOU with a wand pointing at my nose!" Sirius said between his barking laughs. He calmed himself to a wide grin and continued to shove the grape in his nose. With about five hacking and retching noises, Sirius held out his tongue. On it laid the unharmed grape, covered in slime and spit.

"THIS IS DISGUSTING!" Bellatrix screeched again.

"S'all right Bella! See? It didn't get stuck!" Sirius grin became, if possible, wider. His friends chuckled behind him.

"I'm going to tell your mother. She will just have a field day with this." Bellatrix narrowed her eyes in anger.

"Like I said before Bella, 'S'all right.' My mum and dad hate me anyways. I've already been blasted off the family tree!" Sirius was now beginning to get flustered with anger himself, but still held remnants of a smile on his face. "I don't need them. I don't need Regulus. None of it. James is my brother, and his parents are my parents. I am no child of the Blacks'." Sirius hissed the last sentence in pure fury.

Bellatrix gasped. Her eyes glittered with a crazed look. "Your right, Sirius. You are a filthy blood-traitor. Just. Like. Potter."

Sirius lurched forward but the arm of James Potter held him back. "Let it be, mate. Just let it be."

The train halted to a stop on the tracks about two hours later.

Hogwarts students flowed off the train in huge masses. Bellatrix and her cousin stumbled off yanking their things behind them from between bodies of other people. The two spotted Sirius's parents on the other side of the walk very obviously. They were tall, pale, and dark haired. Walburga looked like death herself by wearing a long black dress underneath a long dark, emerald green robe. Her black hair flowed down her back. Her eyes had sunken in from years of taking care of her children and being cooped up within the confines of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Orion stood tall beside his wife. He stood stiff as a board and his mouth was pursed shut. He looked down upon Sirius and Bellatrix as they walked up to him. Andromeda was sitting in the dirt playing with a chocolate frog that was hopping, fleeing for escape, but the child kept lunging for it excitedly. Narcissa had her back to her sister and Sirius and instead looked at all of the witches and wizards that walked by with all of their stuff. She was fascinated to see the different colors of robes, the different animals, and the children who gleefully skipped beside their parents.

"Kreacher." Orion spoke almost inaudibly.

CRACK! "Yes Mr. Black sir? What can Kreacher do for his wonderful master?" The house elf bowed until his long nose almost touched the ground.

"Take their luggage to the house."

"Yes! Right away!" Kreacher squealed, excited from getting a task from Orion.

CRACK! The house elf disapparated with their belongings.

Walburga took a step closer to Sirius and drew her hand back. She slapped him so hard, Bellatrix was sure he saw stars. She cringed on Sirius's behalf.

Sirius wavered dizzily before regaining himself and staring into his mother's face. Walburga looked away from Sirius and then back to Bellatrix.

"Come with me children!" She commanded at once. Obeying like good Black children would, they followed her lead, Andromeda and Narcissa grasped each of their mother's hands and Sirius and Bellatrix grabbed Orion's hands.

A sickening pull from their belly-buttons led them into the front yard of the Orion and Walburga's Black Manor. Orion dropped the pairs' hands at once. Walburga did just the opposite and yanked Andromeda and Narcissa into the house.

Once inside the house, Regulus could be heard screaming at the top of his lungs for his mother. He was about one and a half years old at the time. Walburga was forced to leave him at home because she could not take him to the station and have another child to worry about, so she left him with her mother's house elf Nancy, who disapparated immediately when she heard the Blacks had come home.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!! FILTHY INSULT TO THE BLACK HOME! FRIENDS WITH JAMES POTTER! A POTTER! OUR LITTLE GRYFFINDOR BOY?" Walburga leaned until she was directly in front of his face. "Does your bravery dwell at heart? Hmm? Our bold little Gryffindor." Regulus howled in the room upstairs. She stood back up to continue shouting. "YOU MUST HAVE SOME BRAVERY SOMEWHERE INSIDE OF YOU BOY! BEING FRIENDS WITH A SICK MUDBLOOD LOVING POTTER, BETRAYING THE NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK LIKE THAT! HOW DARE YOU!" Walburga stomped away from her son, leaving him hurt in the doorway as she went to fetch Regulus.

This kind of behavior went on for the whole summer. Bellatrix rarely received letters from her parents. She began talking to herself more. 'Keeping herself company.' as she said it whenever Sirius or Narcissa would catch her doing it. Bellatrix distanced herself from her family a little more, only because she did not want to suffer the beatings or the harsh screams of Walburga. She also never got letters from her friends. Sirius got them all the time, except he never knew what they said because his mother always got the owl first. She ended up locking him into a windowless room in July because his friends began sending their letters at night.

The summer was hot and sticky so she never left the Manor. She played indoors with Narcissa in their rooms; never daring to leave unless either summoned or it was suppertime.

Bellatrix had begun to notice that Andromeda was looking more and more like herself when she was younger. Andromeda was ten now, and her hair was about shoulder length. It was black and curly just like Bellatrix's. Her eyes were grey and big (but what Black besides Narcissa and their father's wasn't?) Narcissa's facial structure was the same as Bellatrix's too but her hair was beautiful and blonde, falling down her back. Her eyes were big and blue and seemed to be watery whenever you saw them.

It was about August when Bellatrix began to get excited again for Hogwarts. She was able to take her sister along, also. Though, she felt bad because she would have to leave Andromeda behind again. Also, she was going to finally turn thirteen in September, which was a month away. (She turned twelve in Hogwarts. Entering at eleven, but she turned twelve immediately afterward. This put her as one of the oldest in her year.) She would finally be a teenager. Something every little girl wants to be.

The weeks and days before Bellatrix, Sirius and Narcissa dragged on slowly. In time, Sirius's bruises and wounds had begun to heal because his mother didn't want to get in trouble if a professor saw something on his body.

Once shopping for school supplies from Diagon Alley was completed, Bellatrix, her sister, and her cousin once again waited in front of the station for the Hogwarts Express. Only this time, no one cared to see them off.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER ONE

_**CHAPTER FIVE**_

Year Two for Bellatrix flew by nearly unnoticed. She received about twenty letters from her mother and father, just letting her know things were going well. She stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays because her parents "saw it fit." Sirius was getting into a lot more trouble these days. He got more howlers from his mother than she got in letters alone. The last Bellatrix heard was that he and his friends were now calling themselves the "Marooners" or "Marauders" or something like that. Whatever it was, they were bent on wrecking havoc to all of the school. If she wasn't involved, she didn't care what that traitor did. There were no murders from You-Know-Who this year. People began to think it was safe for them to become trusting with their secrets again. When the year ended, Dumbledore made almost the same speech as he had before, and Professor McGonagall still cried. The same lame speech. Bellatrix and Narcissa, again, had to stay with her cousin over the summer; her parents were doing missions for someone (that they left out in their letters.)

Bellatrix was now actually just getting off of her train for her third year at Hogwarts at the gates to the grounds.

The castle was huge like it always had been. Gasps and raving from the first years was everywhere around her. She followed Avery, Mulciber, Severus, and Rosier into the castle. Narcissa trailed behind her. Her friend Dezerea had already pranced her way inside with her other friends. They sat in the back of the Slytherin table while the old hat sang to the first years. Andromeda quietly and nervously stared at it from beside Bellatrix. Though the Grand Hall, like it was for Narcissa and Bellatrix, was hushed when Andromeda went up to become sorted into Slytherin.

Everyone could tell Andromeda wasn't a Black at heart. She just had her ways. The only reason why she was sorted into Slytherin was because she HAD to be, just like every other Black. However, one could ask, 'why wasn't Sirius sorted into Slytherin if he was a Black?' That was because he was not a Black at all.

The third year started easy. Teachers were still had vacation on their minds. Bellatrix Black was as eager to learn.

It wasn't until the second week of before she received a letter from her mother.

_Bellatrix-_

_We are back at our manor. I must meet and speak with you in person right away._

_I have some concerns I need to discuss with you about school work._

_Druella Black_

Bellatrix was worried by her mother's letter. She wondered if it had to do with her failed test last year in Charms. _But wouldn't it have come up earlier in a letter? Yes, _She concluded, still unconvinced, _it doesn't matter._

Professor Slughorn barged into the common room where Bellatrix sat in deep thought. "Bellatrix?! Your mother," He panted, "is here to see you!"

Bellatrix looked up, still holding the letter; her face was contorted with confusion. _Here? Now?_

Just then her mother pushed into the common room yelling, "--I CAN TALK TO MY DAUGHTER WHENEVER I PLEASE! TRY AND STOP _THIS _NOBLE BLACK!" She turned to Bellatrix, even her turn screamed ferocity. "Oh good! You got my owl, well then! COME! COME WITH ME BELLA!"

Quickly, Bellatrix rose to her feet and followed her mother down the stairs from the tower and onto the grounds, which led to Hogsmeade. They kept walking until Druella led her behind Zonko's Joke Shop. Curiously, Bellatrix looked at her odd surroundings. Her mother grabbed Bellatrix's shoulders and she turned her daughter's body and made Bellatrix face her. Tears flooded Druella's eyes. Bellatrix's eyes widened when she saw her mother in this state.

"My daughter, only thirteen! You have been offered something great. Something with the highest honor!" She sniffed and inhaled deeply, "You-you will be the first ever!"

Bellatrix looked in wonderment at her mother and whispered, "What's that mother?"

"He! The Dark Lord, knows your intelligence! He knows you are brighter than your stupid classmates!" Her mother exclaimed wildly. Then her mood swiftly changed to a darker tone, "He knows everything! That Slughorn beast is no good at the Dark Arts! He doesn't teach you well! Not like a real Black should learn! You were _made_ to be a famous witch, Bellatrix! That's why-" Druella sniffed,"-The Dark Lord will be teaching you everything you need to know about the real Dark Arts. He will teach you! He will guide you! You will learn to defend yourself! You will learn to DUEL! YOU WILL LEARN TO BE THE WARRIOR YOU WERE NAMED FOR!" (**note: bellatrix is a synonym for female warrior, and it is also a constellation.)** Druella gasped for breath between her elated tears.

"He does?" Bellatrix's eyes grew even wider than seeing her mother cry, but they narrowed quickly when she figured this was too good to be true. "What are the conditions?"

Her mother nodded, knowing she would ask this, "One: You will be branded as a Death Eater. The Dark Mark will rest on your right fore-arm. Two: You will battle along side him when War begins; he will have taught you everything by then! Three: You must submit to using the Unbreakable Vow. He wants you to join, Bellatrix Black, He knows you will surpass even the most loyal servants now! Will you join? Will you agree to these terms and learn from the best?"

Bellatrix stood in awe for a few minutes. The thought of power and greatness sat in her mind. At that moment, Bellatrix Black flickered with a sick pleasure that would eventually take over her body. The Dark Arts would soon be something she could take advantage of! Something she could behold and twist with her mind! "Yes, mother, I do agree. I will make you proud."

Her mother nodded quickly, grabbed Bellatrix's hands and apparated with her to the gates of Hogwarts. She saw that Bellatrix got into the school okay before turning on her heals and disapparating with a mere pop.

Bellatrix walked through the school with her head held up real high, she swelled with a feeling that she was better than anyone that sat in the school of Hogwarts. Her self-pride ate up any pity she had on herself for being ignored for nearly two years by her parents. She knew that she would grow up and be someone people would know, even if she didn't know them.

Her first session with the Dark Lord was that Sunday. She met him behind the Hogs Head at eleven at night.

"Bellatrix Black. I am honored to be in your company," Said a ghostly figure with a high, cold voice. His black hood covered most of his face. His skin was dreadfully pale. He almost was to the point where he had no nose. It was just like a little lump with slits in; the little flaps moved in and out as he breathed. He performed spells to keep others from hearing them before saying, "Give me your wand arm!" He commanded coolly.

Without a word, she thrust her arm out in front of her. He slid her sleeve up and grazed her arm with the tips of his fingers. She felt chills run through her body.

"Very nice." He pulled out his wand and rested the tip on the middle of her arm. Clearly a silent spell, the wand glowed and a screaming pain ran through her body. Never in her life had she felt something so dark and painful. She writhed in his grip. Her body twisted as he held the want to her arm. A black ink spidered out from the tip and morphed itself into the shape of a skull and a snake, intertwined. When he lifted the wand, the pain stopped.

Bellatrix looked up at him, panting and sweating. She looked into Voldemort; eyes. They were a deep red, crimson, like blood. But they were empty. It was like there was no life in his body, but yet he could walk and talk like a normal being.

"Very nice." Voldemort repeated. "Shall we begin?" His eyes flashed with interest.

All Bellatrix could do was nod. She glanced at the Dark Mark that was now imprinted on her arm.

"Bellatrix, you need to learn the 'Unforgivable Curses' first. These are the ones that bring enemies to their knees. These are the ones that no other will ever use, even if in the midst of a struggle for his life. I know this, because I have done so much." Voldemort smiled, his lips baring his teeth.

Bellatrix nodded again, her heart beating with crave. She would do anything for this man now. She just met him and she has already been swept away by his personality and character. Just the things she wants for herself. She began to feel that if she could learn enough from him, like she was guaranteed, his wonder would rub off on her.

"First!" He announced with glee, "The Cruciatus Curse! The torture curse. The curse that brings excruciating pain to the victim! One of my favorites!"

Bellatrix felt intrigued but tried not to show it. He looked at her and whispered, "We need a victim, my dear." She looked in horror at him, but to her relief, he shouted a spell. A muggle appeared next to him.

"What is your name muggle!"

The muggle looked at him and then at Bellatrix. "Is this a dream! I've just been teleported! You must be a genius! I--"

"YOUR NAME!"

The muggle gulped, "Harold Diggens."

"Well 'Harold Diggens,' do you have a family?"

"Yes."

"Alright then. Just curious. Crucio! Crucio! Crucio!" Voldemort shouted with glee as he flicked his wand many times at the man.

The muggle fell to the floor and writhed in pain, screaming and begging for him to stop whatever he was doing. He contorted and twisted in vile manners before Voldemort looked satisfied and stopped. "You try Bellatrix. Think angry thoughts for a start, it wont get you far with wizards, but it will with muggles."

Bellatrix looked at the crumpled Harold. "C-Crucio!" She stuttered. The man screamed and twisted but not like he did when Voldemort cursed him. She thought of how it took her mother this long before noticing she was there. She thought of how her parents argued about petty things. She felt her anger boiling from a pit at the bottom of her stomach. She dropped her wand when Voldemort gave a little cough. When she looked down at the man, she was a little disappointed her results.

"Next! The Impirius Curse!" said Voldemort, not as amused this time, "Imperio!"

Harold Diggens rose to his feet without a word. "What are you doing, sir?" Inquired Bellatrix.

"Making him clean my shoes." As he finished the sentence, Harold hopped to his knees and spat on Voldemorts shoes and wiping them clean with his shirt. Dirt stains began to spread on the front of Harold. "And he is going to bow to you before deciding he wants to put his fist in his mouth." The man started doing what He described even before he started talking. It was like it was an instinct and Voldemort was telling it like it was.

"Your turn, Bellatrix!" Voldemort said suddenly. "This time, you have to stay focused. Focus on what you want him to do. He can't get signals from your mind yet because you are too young so just say them aloud."

"Okay." She whispered. With surprising volume, Bellatrix shouted " Imperio!" She focused on the man as he stood and faced her expressionless. "Er, hop on one foot and bark like the dog you are!"

Voldemort smiled as the man barked and yipped as he hopped on one foot with perfect balance. She was very focused, he could tell. Bellatrix smiled at what she had just done.

"Now, the Killing Curse." Voldemort said casually. He half smiled.

Harold Diggens looked up from the ground, shaking with fear. He grabbed the bottom of Voldemorts robes. "Please," he whispered, "I-I-I don't want do die. I don't know who you are. I don't even know what you are--"

"Silence!" Voldemort growled, pointing his wand at Harold. "Ignorant muggle! Waste of space! Avada Kedevra!"

The man's body fell limp at Voldemort's feet, still clutching his robes.

Bellatrix gasped at the suddenness of Harold Diggens's death. Voldemort didn't even have an expression of remorse anywhere on his face. Bellatrix knew this was a sign of how wonderful and strong her Lord was.


	6. Chapter 6

_**CHAPTER SIX**_

It was decided that Bellatrix and Voldemort would meet the first Sunday of every month.

It was two days after their first meeting and she was already excited for their next meeting in about three and a half weeks.

Bellatrix walked slowly up the long, winding stairs to her common room after her history class. The hallway was barely lit from the torches hanging on the walls. Paintings mumbled and groaned as the lights turned on in her wake. At the top of the stairs, Bellatrix sighed loudly and said "Mimblecusity." The giant serpent statue rumbled and scooted the side and cleared the path for Bellatrix to walk through the door. The common room was a little better lit than the hallways. A fire snapped and crackled loudly in the back of the room. Two boys sat on the floor playing Wizard's Chess in front of it.

"Heh! I'm going to win!" The black haired boy shouted with pride.

"Yeah, but when I crush that night right there, you wont stand a stinking chance!" The blonde boy smirked.

"Drat, and I thought I had you!" Said the other boy with a frown.

"Severus, Avery, how are you?" Bellatrix drawled, trying to sound normal.

The boys looked up. Severus flipped some long hair from his eyes.

"Bella! Want to play me once I win?" Avery asked louder than needed.

She pursed her lips. Without thinking she boasted.

"I'm a Death Eater!" She had every sign of happiness on her face.

"What?!" Both boys exclaimed at the same time.

"Yeah! Can you believe it? He is even teaching me Dark Arts so I don't have to learn from Slughorn!"

"But he is the head of our house! If he finds out you are in contact with The Dark Lord _and _skipping his classes what are you going to do?" Severus asked worriedly.

She shrugged. "Who cares? I'm a Death Eater! If he hurts me, The Dark Lord will find out and He knows that Slughorn is Dumbledore's man. You know what that would mean? War. Slughorn would have started it." Explained Bellatrix with a dignified voice.

Avery nodded and Severus frowned. "Well, I really don't think Slughorn would go as far as to hurt you. But how should I believe you are really with the Dark Lord?"

Bellatrix cackled wildly and yanked up her right sleeve. Her arm was still glowing a light shade of red from the pain the Mark caused her. However, the skull with the snake looping from its mouth was still very visible.

"Whoa…" breathed Avery in awe, "My parents never let me see theirs because they said I was too young. I never thought it would look like that!"

"Is The Dark Lord scary? What was it like? What was He like?" Severus asked timidly.

Bellatrix took a deep breath in. "Well, He is scary, but he wasn't being scary to me. I mean, he _looks_ scary. He was just so great. So, interesting!" A strange smile stretched across her face. "He taught me so many things. He taught me how to do things we would never learn in school. He even used a muggle!"

"Really? On your first lesson?" Said Severus with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, he must really need me for some reason." The idea never came to her mind until now. _He must really need me!_

"Okay…" Severus now rolled his eyes.

Avery shrugged. "You think I can join?"

"I don't know. I might ask him next time if you want me to?" Bellatrix asked halfheartedly. She was most likely not going to do anything. _He could do it if he wanted to. I don't want to share him!_

Avery nodded. "YES!"

"Well, boys, I am going to bed. Its late and I need my sleep." Bellatrix turned and walked up the stairs.

"See yah Bella!" The boys said in unison as they turned back to their game. The chess pieces were either sleeping or shaking their fists at the pair.

Climbing into bed, Bellatrix thought about Him some more.

The next morning Bellatrix walked sleepily into the Great Hall. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun on the back of her head. A few loose strands stuck lazily out.

She was about ten minutes late to breakfast. The food was already served and some people had already began their second helping of food.

Scooting other people's stuff out of her way, Bellatrix sat down at a now empty seat and put pancakes on her plate. She looked down at the steaming food and poked her fork into it. She didn't feel like eating much today. Her first class was going to start in about a half an hour.

About twenty minutes after poking her food around her plate, Bellatrix wandered into her Transfiguration class.

McGonagall sat behind her desk with her lips closed tightly and was staring intently at everyone.

Bellatrix sat about four rows back and three seats in from the front of the class. She pulled out her essay that was due now and smoothed it out in front of her. The family crest sat on this piece of paper too. _Toujours Pur _was written boldly below the crest. That was the family's motto: "Always Pure" in some language she never figured out.

"Students, if you would please hand in your essays, Mr. Potter will collect them!" called McGonagall to the class.

James Potter was leaning back in his chair, but when he heard his name he fell backwards and moaned. Everyone looked over at him and the class rumbled with giggles and sniggers. Professor McGonagall looked over the top of her spectacles. Potter looked around the room until his eyes fell on Lily. He ran his hand through his hair and stared at her. She was clearly just ignoring the scene by reading her book. "Right McGonagall!" Potter answered. He held up his wand and said "Accio Papers!" The papers flew towards him. Bellatrix, who had been watching Potter the whole time and holding her paper up in front of her, squealed quietly in surprise as the paper pulled itself from her hands. Potter then charmed the papers to float over to the teacher's desk.

McGonagall heaved a sigh. "I was hinting more along the lines of physical work, Mr. Potter."

Potter smiled at himself and Sirius. "Professor, ma'am, I don't do _"physical"_ work. I'm a wizard. I use wands." Sirius laughed silently into his hands beside him.

She stared sternly at him. "I didn't say you could sass me Potter! Ten points from Gryffindor!"

"S'all right ma'am, we have already taken about 300 this year! And we are seven weeks in!" Potter beamed.

"And you are proud of this? I'm going to wildly assume that this _we_ is yourself, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew? The "Marauders?""

The four boys smiled from around the room.

"So you've heard of us?" Lupin piped up from the last row.

"HEARD of you? I've fallen myself victim to many of your pranks!" McGonagall said stunned. "That is the end of that conversation! Now, onto transforming our quills!"

This led to a long, almost endless discussion and an even bigger mess.


	7. Chapter 7

_**CHAPTER SEVEN**_

It wasnt until three weeks later when Bellatrix received a short and to the point note from a giant, massive beast on wings, or a fellow Death Eater's owl.

_Tonight. Same spot. eleven._

Frowning at how dreadfully short this note was, she folded it up, set it on the desk in front of her, and lit it on fire.

"Bella? What was that?" A voice behind her asked, making her jump.

"Oh! Rodolphus!" Bellatrix swallowed her nervousness and ate up Rodolphus's presence. "It was just a letter from my mum, about, er, my great grandmother...shes ill..."

"Well, why did you burn it?" His eyebrows squished together.

"Well, why are you so nosy?" She snapped, speaking before thinking.

Surprised by her anger, Rodolphus shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "I dunno, nevermind. So, uh, Im going to supper, you care to join?"

Bellatrix blushed slightly and smiled, "Of course, Rodolphus, Id love to."

Grabbing his hand, she pushed herself out of her seat and walked with him into the Great Hall. The time was about seven.

Sirius and James were laughing loudly from the Gryffindor table behind where Bellatrix was sitting.

"Oh dear lord, those filthy traitors never be quiet! If only--"

"Bellatrix? Were you-er-talking to yourself?" asked Rodolphus with a quizzical look.

"What?! No!" Her heart skipped a beat and she was lost for excuses.

Rodolphus made a face and turned to face his enormous mound of food.

Bellatrix, still drained of color from being caught in such a stupid act, ate her food quietly. She glanced over at Rodolphus occasionally. He was flooding the table with laughter as some of his fellow fourth year friends were telling "hilarious" jokes.

"Hi Bella." said Severus as he sat down in the chair on the other side of her. "Eating by yourself?"

"Erm, no, I was actually here with Rodolphus." She said flatly, sending a frustrated look over her shoulder to Rodolphus (who was engrossed in a conversation with his back turned to her.)

"Oh. I see." said Severus stifling a mocking smile.

"Yes, well..." huffed Bellatrix frowning at her food, "I think I am going to retreat upstairs for the night, seeing as its--" Bellatrix looked at the clock hanging above Dumbledore's head. "--eight thirty."

Severus's face fell. "Thats fine. Im just going to _begin_ eating, so I will maybe see you up there later." He looked over her shoulders at the Evans girl, who was frowning, probably scolding James.

Bellatrix followed his gaze and looked at Lily. "You know she's a mudblood?"

"Yeah." Said Severus with the same dreamy expression he had before she spoke.

"Are you 'saying' you _like_ that stealing piece of work?!" Bellatrix demanded, and she crinkled her nose.

"Yea-No!! No! I've just...er...uh...been trying to figure out how she stole her magic!" Flustered, Severus shoved a biscut into his mouth, to prevent him from being 'rude' so he didn't have to talk with a full mouth.

"Yeah...I know what you mean...I think--," She said, cocking her head to the side, "--someone tortured a wizard and made him give up his powers to her! She is a thief! I don't know how she could live with herself!" At that moment, Bellatrix stood with all her books in her arms and walked out of the Hall.

At about ten thirty Bellatrix became antsy for the stroke of eleven. She snaked through the dormitory and the common room without any trouble, since the only person in the common room was asleep (Severus. again.) and the dormitory was filled with other innocent sleepers. She slipped through the hallways down to the second landing before the Great Hall. She turned and faced a portrait covered with forest and a little boy sleeping in the bottom right corner. She poked the boy awake and whispered "Forestbee's Fritters!" The portrait flipped open and revealed a small hole. Poking her wand in, the hole opened wide enough for her to crawl through. She crawled in the dark tunnel until she reached the cellar of the Hogs Head. Bellatrix pushed the back of the next portrait out of the way and landed with a soft 'thud' on the ground. Walking silently over to the cellar doors, she pushed them far enough apart so that she could fit through and still be quiet. Outside, Bellatrix walked around the small building to a small opening with a grafittied dumpster. From the shadows, a voice, cold and hard as steel spoke.

"Bellatrix Black. Good to see that you showed up again." The owner of the voice took a step forward. White skin shocked the dark around it. His red eyes, narrowed, seemed to glow in her direction. He man breathed deeply and frowned. "You told your friends have you?"

"What?" Her heart shuddered. Her mind raced...but she wasn't thinking as it did so. "What are you doing?" Her Mark burned a little when Voldemort began to speak.

"Nothing that is in need for you to worry about. You just need to learn Occlumency is all." He replied cooly. "But tell me. Why did you tell your friends of our meetings? That is very dodgy business, Bellatrix. There is no need to lie."

She curled a clump of her hair around her finger like a young child in trouble would do. "I was so excited. I-I-lost myself in the moment."

"Ah." He gave a slow nod before changing his tone altogether. "Well, you need to learn to defend yourself better! Silent spells should do the trick. Now, down to business. Hold your wand in front of you and _in your head_" He hissed like a snake, "disarm me."

Bellatrix held her breath. _Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus! God! Just do SOMETHING! Expelliarmus!_ Her wand shimmered with a few gold sparkles.

"Have you not got it?" Voldemort asked half amused, half frustrated with her lacking.

"Seems not, Sir." she looked at her wand unhappily.

"I learned on my first try. Give it a few more tries." He said with his eyes looking at the light above her.

_Expelliarmus!_ Bellatrix thought, not expecting anything, but as she finished gold shot from her wand and exploded on Voldemort's wand. His wand flew from His hands and landed about fifteen feet away.

Voldemort was still looking away when the wand flew from His hand. He wasnt even aware at the moment that she was even trying. He turned his head in the direction of where His wand was laying. The wand, as though it had legs, sprung up and hopped over to Him, then took one last leap and it rose into His hands.

"Very good Bellatrix."

"Thank you." Bellatrix said airily, almost surprised she wasnt in trouble for doing this to Voldemort.

"We still need to work on this. You really should be able to do this on your first try, because in war, there is no time for second chances!"

_Why is He always talking about war? What is He going to do?_

"Its none of your business about that right now. Just do as I say, and do not question." Voldemort said angrily, which made Bellatrix somewhat fearful of what he might do.

The rest of the night, until about two a.m., Bellatrix was learning how to block and disarm silently from Voldemort.

"This lesson will have to continue until next time. I want blocking to be your best ability with spells right now." Voldemort concluded officially. Then He disapparated with a 'pop'.

Bellatrix was still looking fixedly at the spot where Voldemort once was before turning to walk back into the hole in the wall of Hogs Head's cellar.

Once Bellatrix was back in the school, she walked back up to the common room. Severus was still sleeping in a pile of parchment and books, the fire was still roaring beside him, and the girls' dormitories were still silent. Although, Dezerea was leaned against Bellatrix's bed, snoring loudly, with a pocket watch wrapped around her wrist, and her nightclothes still on; waiting for Bellatrix to arrive. Bellatrix smiled at herself and how she avoided confrontation with Dezerea. _Trying to catch me in the act? I don't think so!_ She smirked again at the girl. _Pathetic!_

She quietly undressed and put her emerald night clothes on and put herself to bed. Turning onto her side, she thought about why Dezerea decided she wanted to wait for Bellatrix. She wondered if Avery of Snape told her about Bellatrix being a Death Eater. Then she thought, _no, why would they have any business telling her that kind of stuff, they would know better!_ She never seemed to beleive her own thoughts because this one sure didn't convince her. She stared at the back of Dezerea's head thinking about different scenarios of how she found out before drifting to sleep.

Bellatrix's mind toyed with her that night.

"Bellatrix? Bellatrix!" a raspy voice called to her.

Her hair was stuck to her face. She didn't know where she was. She began to think she was in a house. The walls and floor was made of wood and boxes of old memories gathered dust around her. The room in general was musty, hazy and old. She began to panic. What was she going to do? Where was she?

"You! Bellatrix!" the voice made her jump, lost in her thoughts, she forgot it was there.

"What?!" she whispered loudly.

"Come to me child, come to me!" the voice rasped. It echoed off the walls.

"Show yourself!" She made a reach for her wand, but it was no where to be found.

"Uh uh uh!" A hooded figure emerged from the mess. "Lets just speak, Bellatrix Black. I must.."

"BELLATRIX! BELLATRIX!" Dezerea's voice surrounded her.

"What?! What is wrong with me!?" Bellatrix tumbled to the floor, her hands holding her hair at the roots.

"Its your mind, child." The figure told her with a smile forming on his lips.

"My mind?" Bellatrix stared at the floor. Her hands were still holding her head. "_Why?_"

"BELLA! WAKE UP!" The voice shook the walls.

Bellatrix's eyes opened to see most of the girls in the dormitory standing over her and murmuring. McGonagall pushed her way through. A few girls fussed at this barging, but since she was one of the few women teachers, they just accepted her presence with a scowl.

"Are you okay? Bellatrix Black right?"

She nodded. Her mind was filled with thoughts. _I never thought I was crazy, but then again look at me! I do talk to myself. I am crazy! Wait! Isnt this normal Black behavior? It has to be!_

She thought unhappily before concluding it was just a dream. She wasnt crazy...it was the pumpkin juice.

"Do you need to go to the hospital wing? It looks like your scalp took some damage!" McGonagall looked at her with confusion. "Do you just need to talk?"

"No." Bellatrix croaked. "Im fine. It was just a nightmare." _I think._

A few people turned to go back to bed. Dezerea stood for a moment at the foot of her bed. "Bellatrix, Im here for you if you need me."

"I dont need anyone. Im fine." Bellatrix laid down in her bed and turned over to face the wall. "Just go away."

For the rest of the night she dozed in and out of sleep. She was almost afraid of what would happen next.

Throughout the next few days rumors and whispers trailed and snuck behind her in ever corner. She would turn and there would be a group of girls staring at her. She became careless of her looks. She talked less. It wasnt that she was becoming anti-social, it was just that the things that people would ask her or try and bring up made her not want to talk to others until this blew over. _It couldnt be too much longer...Right?_


	8. Chapter 8

_**CHAPTER EIGHT**_

_**Authors note: sorry some of my chapters have been a little low-quality, im going to make this one pretty nice quality, i promise! Okay? heh.**_

The sun dawned one December morning, filling the dormitories with an orange glow. Bellatrix arose slowly; rubbing her eyes, yawning, grunting, and stretching. She pulled back her curtains and looked around the quiet room. A few girls had already gone down to eat breakfast, but most were still in bed trying to sleep through the sunlight. Bellatrix hesitantly stood up and pulled her night gown over hear head. She put on her skirt and blouse with her cloak over it. Walking at her own speed down the flight of stairs, Bellatrix stifled a yawn and looked at the little silver wristwatch her grandmother had given her a few years ago. 6:48. The Great Hall was not very crowded when she walked in. She sat herself down at the Slytherin table all by herself. Delicately, she placed a biscut, jam, and butter on her small, golden plate. It seemed to be a rather slow morning. Everyone else in the Hall still seemed groggy. _Its Sunday, no classes. Thank goodness!_ Bellatrix thought with a semi-happy internal voice. _Christmas break will be here in about a week!_ Her thoughts lightened when she remembered this. A boy with disheveled blonde hair slumped down in the seat beside her.

"Hey Bella. Im starved!" Avery shoved eggs into his mouth, with his mouth still full, he turned to her, "Care if I sit here?"

Bellatrix gave him a disgusted look, "Thats fine. Just chew with your mouth closed!" She snapped.

Avery shrugged. He gulped down some milk and wiped his mouth. "So are you staying here for Christmas break?"

"No, Im going to help my mother cook and stuff before my entire family comes to eat. Then, we are going to open our presents!"

It somewhat surprised Avery that the Blacks open presents, let alone recognize the holiday, "Even Sirius?"

Bellatrix chuckled at the rediculous thought. "Oh no no no no noo. I dont think so. My mother would never let him step into our house! If he cant even get into the right Hogwarts house, why should he be honored enough to come to the Black house?"

"Uhm, well, he IS your family." Avery stated politely.

"Humph! Family? He is not a part of my family!" Bellatrix huffed.

"Ooo-kay. Anyways then," Avery lunged for a few pancakes. "Do you think you will get anything cool for Christmas?"

"Yeah, I mean I am a Death Eater for pete's sake. My family worshipps the Dark Lord, and I am the youngest accepted, so why shouldnt I?" Bellatrix said as-a-matter-o-factly.

"I want a new Cleansweep broom! How great would that be?!" Avery breathed.

"What a foolish waste of time." She said before taking a bite of her butter and jam biscut.

"You dont like quidditch?!" Avery looked aghast.

"No!"

"I guess you are a girl! I bet you have never even seen a game before!"

"Your right. I havent. I have better things to do than watch a few neanderthal gits fly around on brooms!" Bellatrix defended.

"Neanderthal gits? Im no neanderthal, and Im not a git!" Avery frowned. "And for your information Bellatrix, its a very complicated game."

"Whatever Ryan." Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"You betcha 'whatever'!--" Bellatrix stopped listening to Avery when he heard two girls talking behind her.

"And then, she was screaming! She thrashed and screamed like she was posessed!" The fourth year Slytherin girl gossiped.

"I heard she grabbed her head a million times and cut it all up with her nails!" The Ravenclaw said in a hushed voice.

"Yeah, you can even see the scrapes. Its disgusting." The girls werent even aware that Bellatrix was listening, or even behind them.

"Why dont you speak to my face you stupid girls!" Bellatrix spat in fury. The girls swirled around, absolutely horrified that she had just heard. "Thats right. Are you going to tell me what you two were discussing?" Her big eyes sparkled with anger and a little humiliation.

"Uhm, well, we were just talking about what we heard about you. I was just telling her that she was wrong!" The Slytherin pointed a finger at the Ravenclaw. The Slytherin looked prepared for Bellatrix to throw a hex or curse at her in any moment.

"What?! I-I-I no! You are lying! I cant beleive you!" The Ravenclaw gaped at her friend.

"Well, either way, we werent supposed to be friends anyway! I mean you are a Ravenclaw!" The other girl countered.

"And your a filthy Slytherin!" As soon as the shouted words slipped from her lips, three other Slytherin girls stood up behind the one who was arguing and pointed their wands at the Ravenclaw.

"Got a problem with our house, miss?" One of the sixth years yelled.

"Because we will surely make sure its taken care of!" Another added.

"Yeah! I do! You know what? Why dont you tell this stupid girl to never speak to me again!" The Ravenclaw shouted. She reached into her pocket and drew a wand.

"Stupify!" Bellatrix shouted before the girl could even raise it to point at someone. The Ravenclaw froze.

"Nice. You. Are. The filth. Stay away from our table, or life will be miserable for you." A Slytherin hissed at the Ravenclaw with her wand tucked under the girl's chin. "Got it?" And she counter-cursed the spell.

The Ravenclaw rubbed her neck which had burned from the tip of the Slytherin's wand. She scowled and shot every Slytherin standing a hateful glare. She stalked away angrily to her table where other members were looking curiously at her, about only two were standing up. "Thanks guys for backing me up." She mumbled.

Bellatrix turned to face Avery, who was now eating three sausages at once. His eyes were wide as he chewed slowly. "Wow. To think everyone here is this loyal to eachother is amazing! I never knew!"

Bellatrix smiled. "You are so...right."

Rodolphus leanded over the platter of food separating the separate sides of the table. "Did you guys see that? I thought the Ravenclaw was done for!"

"Yeah! I turned around and saw her being yelled at!" Avery continued on to make several sound effects to go along with his side of the story. "--And then Bellatrix was all 'foom' and hit her with a spell!"

Rodolphus smiled and looked beside him at one of the sixth years who stood in the arguement. "So, uh, nice moves. Whats your name again, I forgot." Rodolphus made a sorry attempt to hit on her.

She looked at him with a little bit of amusement because of a fourth year hitting on her. "Mindy."

"Mindy? Nice name. Its very...bad girl!" Rodolphus smiled and looked over at Avery again. He leaned into a whisper. "She wants me." He turned back to the girl but was somewhat disappointed when she had already turned back to talking with her friends.

Bellatrix pursed her lips unhappily. Her ears burned with jealousy when she had watched Rodolphus and Mindy's quick exchange of words. By now it was already eight thirty and the owls were beginnning to come. A big black owl swooped over Bellatrix's head and dropped a letter on her lap. Then, the same owl swooped over Sirius's head and dropped it ontop of his head. He swore a few obscenities at it and picked it out of his food. It was a bright red howler. Bellatrix held onto her letter in her lap and waited for what would become of Sirius's howler.

SIRIUS ORION BLACK! WHAT IN THE WORLD MAKES YOU THINK I WANT YOU HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS?! HOLIDAYS ARE FOR ENJOYMENT AND PLEASURE! NOT FOR PITIFUL CHILDREN LIKE YOU TO COME AND RUIN! YOU ARE STAYING AT HOGWARTS AND THAT IS _FINAL!_

The howler shuttered with the word 'final.' Sirius dropped his head into his hands in embarassment. The howler burst into flames and littered his food with ashes. Potter gripped Sirius's shoulder and said something Bellatrix could not hear. She looked down at her almost forgotten letter and slid it open.

_Dear Bellatrix, _

_We will be celebrating Christmas at our house instead of with your father's mother like always. However, they will still be joining us. We have a lot of food to make. I will be there at the station to pick you up. As soon as we get home, we will begin making the food. You know how Irma is about food: if she can't make it, then it better be good. So no magic. _

_Also, Walburga wants a letter from you that Sirius has gotten his howler because she knows he wont respond._

_Anyways, get on the early train and I will see you soon._

_Druella Black_

_(Black family crest and motto)_

This was a longer letter than what Bellatrix normally received. It was almost a shock. But you could still feel her stiffness in the letter because of how formal it was and how she never acknowledged that Bellatrix was more than a person.

At that second, Bellatrix realized that since her break was so close, that meant that exams were next wednesday. She breathed out really loudly and rolled her eyes. She hated the end of semester tests because they were so long. Even though Bellatrix was known to be one of the smartest Slytherins in her class, that didnt change how negatively she thought of taking these tests. _Ugh! I have to study today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that! This is going to be the worst!_

She finally decided it was time to leave the Hall since she had already been in there for hours. Her friends left about an hour before her, leaving her alone. She hiked up the stairs into the dormitory to retreive her books. Turning around after she was through rummaging in her trunk, she stomped back down the dormitory stairs to the common room where she laid them out in front of her. She spread a long peice of parchment out and dipped her quill in ink.

Her studying frenzy went on until about one when Dezerea and her friends pulled her from the seat she was in and dragged her outside to hang out and get fresh air.

They talked to her for about forty-five minutes when Dezerea, not being able to hold it in much longer shouted. "Mulciber thinks your really beautiful. He wants you to be his girlfriend!" She burst with this gossip.

"What? I never talk to him? I dont think so Dez, besides, he is really gross!" Dezerea slumped at Bellatrix's words.

"Yeah I guess you are right. I just wanted to play matchmaker. I really stink at it huh?" She laughed at her own comment.

"Yeah, you kinda do." Bellatrix laughed with her.

The topic changed to the arguement Avery and Bellatrix had earlier about quidditch. Before long, the girls grew bored of their company together and mozied inside to eat.


	9. Chapter 9

_**CHAPTER NINE**_

_**A.N. I decided to bring a little Black history into the story. Just a little though, I dont want to bore you to tears.**_

The train ride home lasted forever and Bellatrix was anxious to get home for the holidays.

_...Away from these mudbloods, away from these traitors...why couldnt Mother just teach me at home? Would that be so hard? Why cant my Lord just teach me what I need to know and let that be that? Stupid school. Thank heavens for breaks._

Her eyes narrowed as she thought.

"What are you thinking?" Severus wondered suspiciously from beside her.

"What?" Bellatrix popped from her own mind when he spoke to her.

"I said: What were you thinking about?" he repeated.

"The holidays. Going home. Being away..." She trailed off casually.

"Oh. I bet you are going to have a very big dinner. I am having a small dinner. My mum, my dad and I. We dont celebrate much." Severus looked at his hands and then met Bellatrix's gaze.

Bellatrix looked away. "Thats nice. I guess we do have big dinners. I mean we do have to invite the whole family!"

"Except Sirius." Severus said raising an eyebrow.

"Of course! He is not a family member of the Blacks! He may have the last name! But by no means does that infer he is one of us!" She grew louder with every word she spoke. "Why does everyone keep asking or talking about that? You heard the howler! You heard it!"

"Well. Yeah, but-"

"But what? This is rediculous!" Bellatrix threw her hands up in the air at the same second that the train lurched to a stop in front of the station. She fell to the floor and smacked it with her hands and knees. She swore to herself and looked at Severus who was suppressing a giggle. "What are you looking at?"

"Uhm, nothing." The smile on his face faded when he saw the furious expression on his face.

"Thats what I thought." She mumbled to him. She brushed all the lint and dirt off of her tights and sweater. As she pulled her stuff behind her with one hand, she smoothed out her hair with another. Bellatrix could never look ratty in front of her mother. That would be a mistake she would never forget. Her mother would yell about setting a good example for the Black family, and yell some more about how one should greet another in a good manner. Messy hair was not good manner. She walked off of the train and looked quietly around her in search of her mother.

"Bellatrix!" A stern voice came from behind her.

Bellatrix turned and saw the tall stature of her mother. She looked at her mother and noticed how within the past two and a half years, her mother had grown so much older. Last time she saw her before her it was for a few seconds in the light before they were in the dark. Her black eyes seemed to have sunk in more and her blonde hair was long and streaked with a few strands of white and grey. Wrinkles made a presence upon her pale face and showed no intention of leaving.

"Come child." Druella turned and started walking, leaving a hand extended for Bellatrix to grasp. Bellatrix catched up quickly and grabbed her mother's hand. Her mother turned and yanked her in another direction and before the pain in her arm came, they were landing at the Black Manor of Druella and Cygnus.

Vines twisted up the front of the house in an elegant sort of way. The gargoyles at the entrance had moss growing at the base, and little crumbles falling from the sides. Even their teeth were a little bit more dull than usual. Everything seemed to have aged.

"Miss Bellatrix is back!" A little voice squeaked from behind her legs. She turned and saw their new house elf, Batty, looking happily up at her. Their last house elf was banished because she mistakenly spoke well of a mudblood author that had just came out with a new book. Even though Bellatrix had never seen Batty before, she still ordered him immediatly to take her bags to her room. Batty frowned ever so slightly when he grabbed the handles. But since his duty as a house elf was to serve the wizards, he followed instructions without a question.

_Pop! _The house elf apparated.

Bellatrix walked into the home. Unlike the outside, nothing on the inside had changed. The place was still very clean without a speck of dust or dirt in sight.

"Child! Child!" Another voice came from the living room. Bellatrix knew that because she was the only "child" in the house and the only person who would call her "child" was her grandmother, she would have to respond without hesitation. She walked into the room next to her and saw her old grandmother sitting on a couch wearing an old, slightly faded shawl. (The only reason why Druella and anyother respectable Black did not mention anything about the tattered cloth was because her husband was the grandson of the most noble Black of all: Phineas Nigellus. He, however is not the same Phineas as the one hanging on Dumbledore's wall--that is Phineas Nigellus Jr. who supported muggle rights.)

"Yes, grandmother?" Bellatrix spoke curtly.

"Im warning you, child, do not use that tone with me! Im still young! I can still give you a good lickin!" She wagged her finger at her granddaughter.

"Yes ma'am." Bellatrix said, keeping a still face.

"Anyways," Irma continued, licking her lips, "Your mother made some raspberry lemonade, and since I am so tired from travelling, I wanted you to get me some of it!"

_And why not the house elf? Thats what they are for!_ Bellatrix would never dare say that to her grandmother, so she agreed and walked her way into the kitchen.

These kind of things seemed to have gone on over and over again, each time, her grandmother found a new excuse to give Bellatrix something to do.

One morning, Bellatrix was eating her oatmeal breakfast and she turned to look at the window across the room when she heard a tapping. She rose and opened the window to let the giant snow-white barn owl inside the house. It flew around for a few seconds and then tossed the letter into her outstretched hand. It circled again and flew outside. She closed the window and sat back down in her chair and looked at the letter.

"To Bellatrix Black, From: Rodolphus Lestrange."

_Dear Bellatrix,_

_Thank you so much for inviting my family and I to your Christmas dinner. _

_I know this is a very big tradition of your familys' and I just wanted to say, on my family's behalf, that you wont regret it._

_We will be arriving tomorrow by brooms, so please let your parents know. If you need any help at all with getting things together, please do not hesitate to let us know. We are so grateful that you are letting us attend, so we would be honored to help in any way._

_I cant wait to see you,_

_Rodolphus Lestrange._

_(Wax stamp of Lestrange crest)_

_WHAT?!_ Bellatrix screamed in her head. She walked into the next room of the house, leaving her oatmeal to get cold, and found her mother reading the Daily Prophet. "Mother?"

"Yes Bellatrix?" said Druella without looking up.

"Rodolphus said that his family will be arriving by brooms and they are willing to help with anything."

"That is good to know." she said again to the newspaper.

"Mother?" Bellatrix repeated.

"What Bellatrix?" Her mother huffed, putting the paper down and looking up at her.

"You never told me they were coming. I would have been able to be prepared!" She felt her anger rising but held it back, knowing that would just infuriate her mother.

"I didnt think you would mind. Besides, we have some matters to discuss with the Lestranges." Her mother held the same stoney-cold voice as she normally did when Bellatrix was growing up.

"What kind of matters?" Bellatrix asked, furrowing her eyebrow, _my mother has never discussed of the Lestranges before..._

"That is none of your business now! Just leave me in peace!" Her mother howled and pointed at the door. As she pointed, her sleeve fell just right so Bellatrix could see the tail of the snake and the chin of the skull that made up her mother's Mark. Bellatrix knew her mother was a Death Eater, she just never had seen her Mark before.

"Yes ma'am." Bellatrix turned and left the room.

Dinner the nex night approached quicker than Bellatrix thought possible. The Lestranges had just arrived and were sitting downstairs speaking with her parents. Bellatrix was upstairs fixing her black hair into a french braid that fell thickly down her back.

"Bellatrix! Dinner is ready! Come help serve!" Irma's voice echoed into Bellatrix's room.

_So now Grandmother decides she is not too old to prepare supper?_

She floated down the stairs. She would have stomped, but seeing as Rodolphus and his family was there, she would never ever do such a foolish thing.When the last plate was set on the table, she told everyone that supper was served and they sat down to eat. They were having an elegant meal; there was duck, pig, salad, soup, stews, and fruits everywhere. Batty came in occasionally to refill anyone's drinks.

"So," Bellatrix's father began, breaking the silence, "we know why you are here."

"Yes." Lige Lestrange nodded, swallowing what was left of the bite in his mouth. "does Bellatrix know?"

"No, we decided it was best that we discussed this at the table while you were here."

"As did we."

Bellatrix looked at Rodolphus who was looking back at her. They exchanged curious glances and turned to look at Cygnus who was now beginning to speak again.

"Bellatrix, Rodolphus, we know this is early to be thinking about this, but we, Lige, Scalora, Druella and I have all decided that we had to tell you early on."

Lige and Scalora nodded blankly in Cygnus's direction.

"We have arranged the marrige of you both. When you turn seventeen, Bellatrix, and you leave school, you and Rodolphus will wed immediately." Bellatrix opened her mouth to speak in protest. "There will be no question about it. All of us see it fit that the Black and Lestrange family should keep their bloodlines pure. The world is becoming dirtier as we speak and we, the Blacks and Lestranges, are to purify what we can."

Irma nodded from the head of the table. ":We dont want you to end up like Pollux's (Irma's husband) cousin, Cedrella! She married Septimus Weasley! We have to stay pure! On with the Blacks! You have been told this early so you dont fall in 'love' with anyone who is a mudblood, traitor, or even questionable!" Irma slammed her fist onto the table. Everyone's glasses shook at her newfound frustration. Pollux, however, was still sitting as though everything was normal. After all, he had an arranged marrige too.

Bellatrix avoided Rodolphus's eyes and looked at her very interesting bread roll.

A deafening silence clouded the room before Rodolphus spoke up.

"I dont mind really."

Everyone looked up from their food to stare at him. His mother beamed. Bellatrix was careful not to let her jaw hit the table.

"Really?" She asked, straightening her back.

"Well, yeah. At least I know you. Right? I would have been more upset if you were a stranger, but your pretty, so I guess it couldnt be that bad!" He smiled brightly.

Bellatrix lifted her whole body and stared into his face. _Being here lets my guard down. Why am I giving in so easily to this? Shouldnt I be putting up a fight since this is arranged?_ "Thank you."

Irma grunted at the soft exchange of words. "Bellatrix! Give me the corn!" The conversation turned at that point all the way until supper ended.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER ONE

_**CHAPTER TEN**_

Narcissa leaned against the panel of Bellatrix's door and looked at the mess her sister made. The room was a pit and Bellatrix was planted in the middle of it, studying dark curses her Master taught her. Narcissa pushed a few books out of the way and sat about ten feet away to give any rebounding spells some space. She started stacking a few books and organizing some papers, for being almost thirteen, she was most unlike the normal dirty child and more neat. It could have been, however, that she was a noble, and most ancient Black, and foolishness was never tolerated.

"Cissy, don't touch anything!" Bellatrix snapped at her younger sister. She was engrossed in her work at the moment and couldn't stand any of Narcissa's cleaning quirks.

Narcissa nodded patiently and watched blue, silver, red and green spells soar from the wand in Bellatrix's right hand.

Bellatrix shook her wand furiously until it had achieved what she wanted it to. The little mouse she had transfigured from a cup earlier was now squealing loudly. It convulsed horribly on the floor. She shrieked with glee.

"W-what was that?" Narcissa stuttered at the horror before her eyes.

"THAT! Was the Cruciatus curse! It's an Unforgivable. Did you know that?" Bellatrix looked proudly down at the mouse that was shuddering and trying to nurse inexistent wounds.

"No. Can I learn to do that in my next year, like you?" Narcissa looked at the mouse curiously. She had a mix of fear and interest in her expression.

Bellatrix laughed haughtily. "No! My Master, the Dark Lord, taught me this! Those teachers at Hogwarts would never teach this kind of stuff! Do you even know what an Unforgivable curse is Cissy?"

"Uhm, no. School has only taught me simple spells. Nothing like _that._" She pointed at the furry creature on the floor.

"Well, I wouldn't expect you to! It means no one can forgive you once you use it on them. It's that bad." She bragged to her sister.

"Wow." Narcissa breathed. "They do this to _people_?"

"Not just any people, Cissy, muggles and mud bloods. No one in the right mind would do such a thing to purebloods! We are superior! Have you not learned anything?" Bellatrix asked. "Of course, I could not be able to do it to anything bigger than this mouse yet. I guess, as the Dark Lord said, I have to mean it. I asked him what he meant and he said..." Bellatrix trailed of without even realizing it. Her sister still sat looking at her, listening intently.

"Right." Narcissa looked around the room. "Are there others?"

"Yeah! There is the Avada Kedevra--"

"--the killing curse. Mother uses that all of the time on pests." Narcissa nodded. "She said she would never teach me that. She said that was someone else's duty."

Bellatrix looked her sister over. She frowned at the interruption. "I know. Everyone knows whose job that is, Cissy. It's obvious." Bellatrix had now moved some things over on the floor and faced her sister. She wondered how she could be so ignorant and not be able to put things together.

"Anyways, I am getting sidetracked; I was supposed to tell you that you got a letter from someone named Dezera? DeZeera? Either way, it's sitting on the table downstairs. You better get it before Mother reads it." Narcissa rose and walked hastily out the door, carefully stepping over books along the way. When she reached the door, she turned around and said, "I'm going off with a friend from down the street, I will see you later tonight I guess."

"I guess." Bellatrix rolled her eyes and looked at her wand that was sitting on the floor. She stood up and slumped down stairs and grabbed the letter off of the side table that was beside the front entrance. She looked it over and put it into her robe pocket. All it really said was that she wished Bellatrix a Happy Christmas and the best New Year. She wouldn't bother writing back, seeing as the fact that she did not want to reply because she was not that fond of the stupid letters. She also had not told anyone of her arranged marriage. Bellatrix did not want it to spread that she was marrying Rodolphus Lestrange, the boy at school every girl swooned over.

_Bellatrix Lestrange. What kind of name is that? Am I supposed to live with that for the rest of my life after school? Surely he has to accept the fact that he will always be one step lower to the Dark Lord. I have made a commitment to him first, and as far as I will acknowledge for now, he is the only one I have made. Bellatrix Lestrange? He must have done something really, really worthy to make my parents notice him enough for them to want him to be my husband. Were my parents arranged? They did not get along THAT well, so maybe they were...I know Grandmother and Grandfather were. I think they are happy together. I don't know what Grandmother would do if she weren't a Black now..._

She fell asleep in the armchair in the front room, completely tired of thinking. The marriage thing was really getting to her. But the more she thought about having to be a loyal wife after graduation, the more she became stuck on the fact that she would never be that loyal to him. She was only loyal to one person now: The Dark Lord.

It was about a week later and Bellatrix stood once again in front of the Hogwarts Express. She had been in this spot so many times before and nothing ever changed. The scarlet locomotive still whistled and screeched whenever it entered or departed, just as it always had. She took a deep breath and stepped up into the train. Contrary to what the outside looked like, the inside of the train opened up into a long hallway lined with doors that lead to little compartments. Bellatrix chose a compartment for herself halfway down the walkway. She heaved her luggage over onto the shelf above the seats and rested herself below. She set her book "Purebloods: Clean and Perfect" by Hesper Gamp on her lap. She was about halfway through and loved the book. Her mother and father had given the book to her as a gift for her birthday earlier in the year. She tucked a curly, loose strand of hair behind her ear and hunched over to read.

It was about two hours later when Bellatrix decided to take a break and wander the train for a few minutes stretch. She walked to the back and found where Sirius and his friends were sitting, laughing and joking amongst each other.

"Oh dear, Sirius, still fooling around with these boys?" Bellatrix cooed disapprovingly at Sirius.

"What are you getting at Bella? Shouldn't you be 'fooling' around with your Death Eater friends? The ones who plan on growing up with intent to murder?" Sirius cooed back, mockingly.

"Sirius, we both know purebloods don't need friends. We have acquaintances and allies. People who matter." She pointed her chin at Potter. Sirius lunged at his wand, but before he had it out, Bellatrix already had hers flicked and pointed at Sirius. "Ah-ah-ah. Play nice. I only came to observe."

"How dare you make fun of my friends-my brothers!" Sirius's wand was pointed at Bellatrix's heart.

She chuckled at his little act. "My my. Quite the crowd pleaser, are we?" She managed to keep her voice soft. She leaned in a little towards Sirius. "Apparently, you don't know what I have learned in the past three years."

"Ha! Maybe about as much as I have!" Sirius barked a laugh.

"Oh please. You wouldn't even guess." She snickered in his face. She peered over his shoulder. A fat, brown haired boy sat shivering and leaned against the window, another was Remus Lupin, staring at the fascinating white wall in front of him, and the last boy was James Potter who was fixedly glaring at Bellatrix. His lips were pursed together as if he were trying to suppress some very hateful words. "You better learn your manners! We don't need any disrespect for your betters!" Bellatrix nodded at him, her lips curled into a smile. All of this magic she was learning made her feel stronger and more in control with her surroundings. She could fend for herself, and even just being a third year, she could kill small animals, and torture about anything by now. Every aspect of her life was getting a new view. She could mold it into what she wanted it to be through fear. _If only they knew_, she thought.

Bellatrix licked her smiling lips.

"I can do as I please, you stuck up priss. Leave us alone in here. You just came and started an argument for the fun of it!" Potter snarled.

Sirius watched James talk and then turned and spat, "and I don't know who you think you are, but I am a Black too, Bellatrix Black, and I can probably do a whole lot like you!" His stormy grey eyes glistened with every bit of anger one person could muster and then some.

"That's Bellatrix Lestrange now. You would not have sounded so stupid if you went to our dinner...oh, yes, you have to be invited if you are not a family member. Sorry, Sirius, I forgot." She cringed sarcastically at her own words. "Maybe next time."

The four boys in the compartment each looked curiously and surprised at her. She blinked her heavy eyelids and swooped out. She left exactly the impression she wanted to. Surprise, wonder, anger and curiosity all in the same conversation. _Oh yes, this is going to be grand._

Not that much longer, the train lurched to a stop at Hogwarts. Since they had left so early that morning, it was about five in the afternoon, so it was much easier to navigate to the castle than when they normally arrive at night.

She skipped the dinner and waltzed into the Slytherin common room and called on a house elf.

_Pop!_ "Yes Mizz Black?" The house elf bowed very low and looked up at her face.

"I need a fire going." She demanded, pointing at the cold, dark fireplace.

"Yes Mizz Black, right away." The elf scuttled over and clapped his hands while saying a little phrase. The fire exploded from nowhere. The house elf turned to face her and bowed even lower than before. "Mizz Black?"

"That is all."

_Pop!_

Bellatrix sat Indian-style on an easy chair and continued to read her book.

"BELLLLLAAAAA!!" A rising voice echoed into the room where she sat. She closed her book, marked her page carefully, and looked to see who the interrupter was. "BELLA!" Dezerea and company ran towards her at a fast speed.

She curtly frowned and said, "Hello, Dezerea. Girls. Why such the big entrance?"

"IT HAS BEEN FOREVER!" Dezerea gushed and hugged Bellatrix.

She coldly hugged her back. "I guess it has."

"What's the matter?" Dezerea asked worriedly.

"Nothing. I was reading and I was not hungry- to answer your next question."

"Oh!" Dezerea nodded quickly and continued to ask Bellatrix about her vacation.

"So how was your Christmas?"

"It was nice. It was long though." Bellatrix sighed.

"Anything big happen?"

"Well, my parents are leaving next weekend for possibly another long trip. I'm getting a pre-arranged marriage, and I got a new set of silk and velvet robes. They were imported from India! Of course, my mother insisted they are my dress--"

"YOUR GETTING MARRIED?!" Dezerea grabbed Bellatrix's shoulders and shook her in frustration. "AND YOU NEVER OWLED ME?!"

Bellatrix pulled Dezerea's hands off of her arms. "Relax. And never do that again. But, yes, I have a pre arrange marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange."

"Wow..." Dezerea breathed. "Bellatrix Lestrange. You know, that has a ring to it." She pointed out to herself.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and watched the girl pick through her own thoughts. _She is the most un-Slytherin girl I think has ever existed. Wow._

Dezerea began babbling about how her break went. "Even though it could never top how great it is that you are getting married." She said at the beginning of her long, endless story.

Bellatrix sighed and rested her head in her hands and watched her lips move without sound. She became distracted again at the thought of _her, Bellatrix Black_ getting married. It did help to think that it is about a little bit less than four years away.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ONE

_**Chapter Eleven**_

_**A/N: this will be my last note for a while, I PROMISE. But, I just wanted to apologize for how quickly i sped through the years. I just wanted to get this story moving a little faster because she shouldn't really be in a coma for her Flashback. Ha-ha.**_

The year was now 1969 and she was eighteen.

Bellatrix Black stood up as Dumbledore called her name. She walked across the grass over to him from her seat in the Slytherin area. She grasped the roll of parchment that was handed to her and bowed shortly to the Professor.

"Bellatrix, I hope you move on to be a great and powerful woman for the greater good. Good luck with Rodolphus, I wish you both the best." He nodded and patted her back as she walked back to her seat. The audience of students, parents, family members, and teachers clapped politely. Druella and Cygnus were beaming at their firstborn daughter's graduation. Narcissa and Andromeda clapped and smiled at their older sister, both thinking about how they would be up there soon. She sat down beside her fiancé and held his hand. She watched all of her classmates get called up and wished goodbye. Rodolphus was called about a half hour later and handed the same roll of parchment as everyone else, and he was bid goodbye the same as Bellatrix. He too was a Death Eater now, and Dumbledore knew, which is probably why he hoped they were on the side of the 'greater good.'

It was chilly for only being May, and everyone milled amongst each other at the little after party held around noon. Druella and Cygnus talked with Severus's parents in a secluded spot by the food tables.

Severus strode over to Bellatrix and Rodolphus.

"Good afternoon." He nodded to the couple.

"Hello Severus." Bellatrix said. Rodolphus just gave a fake smile.

"I hear you decided to not accept the help of the Ministry of Magic when they offered to help you with career choosing?" He asked politely, but still curiously.

"Yes, you heard right."

"Why didn't you?" He outwardly implored.

"Severus, I have my faithful work already cut out for me. I do not see a reason to work for the mess you seem to think is called the Ministry. It's a waste of time. I am a servant to the Dark Lord, and that is the only job I plan on holding!" She said crisply.

"I see, but what about money? How will you be able to afford things after a while of not working?" He said, nosing into her business.

"I am rather wealthy! And so is Rodolphus! Unlike you, we can live fine just off of our inheritance for our wedding. We can be happy without jobs. The Dark Lord needs us and we will be there at all moments, without worrying of our work!" She had become to get frustrated with his incessant questions.

"Ah but--"

"--Severus, I believe that is enough. We are fine and we do not need your financial advice." Rodolphus spoke in a warningly tone.

"OI! Snivellus! Think fast!" A wad of mush squashed into the back of Severus's head. He turned around, fuming, to face James and Sirius who were laughing at their immature joke. But before Severus could reply, Pierna Potter shouted over the barking laughter of Sirius and the loud chuckling of James.

"James Potter! You are seventeen and graduating, need I lecture you?"

Sirius walked up to Pierna and shook her hand. And he said, "Mrs. Potter! How good it is to see you!"

This comment made Bellatrix's blood boil. _He was cajoling with blood traitors! How dare he!_ Rodolphus took her hand and led her away without a word. She sighed angrily and followed.

After a while of walking and greeting other classmates, Druella and Cygnus made a straight beeline to Bellatrix and Rodolphus.

"Are you both ready to leave? Please apparate to our manor." Without Cygnus saying anything furthermore, he and Druella turned and disappeared into thin air.

"Side-along or alone?" This was the first time Rodolphus had ever asked this before.

"Alone." Bellatrix replied coldly. He nodded, held his wand in front of him and turned and disappeared alone. Bellatrix followed a few seconds later, reappearing in front of the Black Manor of Druella and Cygnus.

She marched up the steps with Rodolphus ahead by about two. Everything in the house was neat and orderly, however it was also rather dusty. Bellatrix observed with a quick once-over and continued down the long hallway. Her parents were already seated in the main seating room and were whispering amongst each other. When Bellatrix and Rodolphus seated themselves, Cygnus coughed and started the conversation.

"Rodolphus, we know that you and Bellatrix will be wedding in a few years now that you are engaged. We wanted to move you both from your parenting homes and into one of your own. We owled your parents, Rodolphus, and apparently they have given you a home that was unused and passed to you." Rodolphus nodded and Cygnus continued, "You two will be living together now. Bellatrix, you will be moving in there in about a week so you can pack all of your belongings that were left here from Hogwarts. You can keep all of your stuff from school packed so you do not have to repack it all. Here," he handed Rodolphus the address of their new home, "this is your address." Rodolphus read the paper and passed it to Bellatrix.

"So where will I be for the next week?" Rodolphus asked.

"At your home doing the same as Bellatrix." Cygnus replied.

"Okay."

"So this is our home forever? The Lestrange Home?" Bellatrix blinked. She was a Black. A Black at heart. Being a Lestrange would change her life forever. She then thought a little deeper._ I guess if I try hard enough, I could not let people forget that I am a Black. Never will they! Ever!_ She stood by her name like no other person normally would. Its a status symbol, it was her soul, it was also her train of thought.

"That's what I said, Bellatrix," Cygnus said.

"Sorry, Bella, but your stuck with me for a while." Rodolphus shrugged, trying to make light of the moving.

"We just did not want you to get too comfortable here in our home," Druella said.

Bellatrix understood. She just did not want to accept.

About a week later, Bellatrix stared hatefully at her luggage that was piled up in front of the door. Not only had she spent all that week cleaning the home and packing, but she also had been looking for the house elf that was supposed to come with it. She was looking different at the moment as she stood, leaning against the biggest package. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun and strings fell loosely from it. Her body was looking a little dirty and her clothes were somewhat disheveled. Narcissa walked into the room and looked at her pathetic looking older sister.

"What happened to you?" She asked, almost amused.

Bellatrix patted off some dirt from her sleeve. "It's that stupid house elf of mine! It has disappeared AGAIN and the house is in such a bad need of cleaning before I bring all of my stuff in there that I ended up doing it myself!" Her big eyes rolled, she let out a deep breath of air and shook her head.

Narcissa looked again at her sister and said, "what about Rodolphus?"

"He has been doing a lot of work for the Dark Lord. Since the Lord's rise is immanent, we have a lot to do to fight. Besides, it's a woman's job to tend to the home when the house elf cant (or in her case, isn't there.)" She had learned this because of all of the years she watched her father come home from work and want his supper right then. Then, she would always see her mother obey silently before she did the nightly house clean. This was before they had got a house elf because the one they had before Bellatrix was born died. Batty walked up, not too pleased at the amount of bags Bellatrix was leaning against.

"Mizz Bellatrix? Are you ready?" He said to the floor.

"Yes. Batty, please bring all of my packages to my home." When she finished her sentence, Batty pulled out two bags and _Pop_ped out of the household.

When Bellatrix appeared a few minutes later in the Lestrange home, she found all of her bags stacked neatly in the hallway. She began grabbing the handles and yanking the bags up the steps into her room where she would start making her home. She rested the bag in the center and began pulling objects out: A full length mirror, paintings, bedspreads, pillows, and a night stand. This was all she had to put in this room that she owned. A dresser and a bed was already provided, but it was very bare. When she looked up from her bag, she found a shaking creature standing before her, dressed in rags and shoes without soles.

"YOU!" She shouted angrily, "GET TO WORK!"

The house elf shuttered a nod and started spreading the bedspread over the bed.

"Where have you been?" She asked.

"Pokey? Pokey has been hiding!" The house elf replied quietly.

"From what?" Bellatrix asked.

"Well, Pokey was down in the cellar, catching the mices. Then! Pokey heard noises! She did not know what to do! She thought there were intruders! Pokey is afraid of intruders, so Pokey went hiding. I kept hearing them." She nodded with very wide eyes. "Then, Pokey got brave enough and Pokey went up stairs and found you!" She pointed to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix let her shoulders drop and she groaned. "You can use magic! Why are you scared? This is very ridiculous."

"Pokey is sorry Miss Black."

Bellatrix walked out of the room and went down the stairs. As she did so, a small brown owl dropped a letter down in Bellatrix's hands. She began to read:

_To Bellatrix Black._

_There will be no meetings for a while. I am not going into hiding._

There was no return address, but Bellatrix had seen this handwriting for years now on a monthly basis. She set the paper on the nearest plain table and lit the paper ablaze.

Rodolphus walked unannounced into the room and caught Bellatrix burning the piece of parchment.

"What was that?" He asked.

There was a moment of silence between the two before she answered, "we won't be having meetings for a while."

Rodolphus nodded and put out the flame that was now catching the table.


	12. Chapter 12

_**CHAPTER TWELVE**_

"What are you doing that He cant let me do?" Bellatrix spat.

"I cant talk to you about that! He told me to keep it a secret. Bella, I cant even tell you!" Rodolphus defended.

"You have probably already told all of your-your _friends!_" She said. Her face was contorted like it always did when she was angry.

Rodolphus rolled his eyes and dropped his hands to his sides. Then he said, "you are overreacting! I cant beleive you! Why cant you just trust me on this?"

"I dont even know my own soon-to-be-husband! How can I trust you? Your gone all of the time, I have barely gotten a chance to know you!" She said.

"_What?_ We are going to be married! How can you say you dont know me?" Rodolphus shook his head, "you know practically everything there is to know about me! Oh Bella!"

"Alright, Rodolphus, I guess I do know you! I know your HANDWRITING very well. I know what your PATRONUS looks like--of course when you do feel like talking," She said sarcastically. She cocked her head with her feisty attitude.

"You are exaggerating!" He exclaimed, almost exasperated.

"I am not! Look at you!" She shoved her hands in his direction. With a fake man-sounding voice she said, "'Oh no Bella, I am working! No dinner out tonight!' Or 'Oh no, Bella, I cant stay home today, I am going on ANOTHER ONE OF MY SECRET MISSIONS!'" She shouted the last sentance into his face.

"You dont have to know everything that goes on Bella..."

"IM NOT DONE YET!" She stomped and shouted at him again like a little school girl having a temper-tantrum. "IM SUPPOSED TO BE HIS FAVORITE! I AM ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE FOR HIM FIRST! I WAS WITH HIM BEFORE YOU--YEARS BEFORE YOU! HOW CAN HE TRUST YOU OVER ME?"

Rodolphus was now completely out of thoughts. "Bella. Relax. Its not that bad. Really."

She waved his comment off and said in a completely different voice tone, "just tell me where you are going or whatever you are doing!" She handed him an invisible platter. "Its as easy as that!"

He looked up at the ceiling and then down to meet his wife's big dark eyes. "Bellatrix, I told you, I am going on a mission for our Lord. I cant tell you anything more," He clutched her shoulders and gave her a gentle shake.

She shook out of his grasp and threw her hands into the air. "Liar!" Then she walked out of the room and continued to shout, "you just keep lying! Lies! I WOULD BE THE FIRST PERSON HE WOULD GIVE A SECRET MISSION, RODOLPHUS, ME!" She jerkily pointed at herself as she stomped through rooms, as far away from Rodolphus as she could get. She collapsed on a couch about four rooms away and stared at the floor. _Me! I would be the first He would want to send on a mission! I am his most loyal, most faithful servant! He knows he could rely on me! I would sacrifice my life and soul for him!_ The strong features of her face were less visible when she was as red as she was at that moment. She combed a hand through her rough and curly hair. _Ludicracy! How could He do that to me and send my husband?_

Bellatrix heard the distant sound of a door slam. "And he's off," she said to no one.

_Dear my great Master, _

_Oh! How I am upset! Why did you send my husband away? Why not me? We both know I would never fail a job for you!_

_I have tried to accept this turn of events because I know you were doing it for the best. And there is nothing I trust more than your judgement, Master. I will not question it more than this one thought, however, that was lingering in my mind:_

_Why did you choose my husband? Why him?_

_I am so upset about this. I would really like to be involved. Dear Lord, you wont regret it if you do choose me to help you._

_Sincerely,_

_Bellatrix Lestrange_

The letter was soaring through the sky in the tight grip of the giant black owl Bellatrix had owned since the beginning of her school life. She had written out of fury, confusion and sadness. Now that it was too late to take back what she wrote, she could only regret it, because it was making its way to her Dark Lord. He was surely going to read it. This upset her and she let her head fall into her hands. The house was so empty now. _Its going to be just me and the house elf. That filthy unworthy house elf._

By morning, Bellatrix had collected herself enough to eat breakfast and bathe. When she came downstairs to tend to her things, her owl had returned and dropped the reply letter on the table beside the stairs. Bellatrix eyed it carefully and slid it open.

_Dear Bellatrix,_

_I was doing this for the best, and I do know you would never fail a job for me. _

_Maybe it could help if you think about things differently. Firstly, think about that I do trust Rodolphus less. MAYBE I am putting him on a job that is not worth your time. Or, I simply would like to keep you around for the future, seeing as that could call for your assistance. _

_Worry not, Bellatrix. I am in charge. I will set the rules. You can ask questions later. Until then, just follow what I say. Like you had said before, I do know best._

_The Dark Lord (Cursive)_

_Also, do keep the writing to me to a minimum. I told you, I cant have meetings. Good luck._

Bellatrix smirked at the letter and then at herself for being so foolish. She thought for a few seconds. "Why didnt I see that before?" She said aloud to herself. She heard the creaking of the floor boards behind her. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at the house elf, who came wimpering into the room. "Fetch me some water!" Bellatrix shouted, shooing the elf from the room.

Months went by. Bellatrix had grown very nervous. She found herself to be very upset at random times. Her mood swings were aweful. The only reason for these odd symptoms was the worry she had for Rodolphus. He had not even written to her in these past months and weeks. She began to think maybe he was not dead, maybe he just left her. But she always reminded herself that his family was pureblood and it was his duty to continue that, as it was hers for her own. Leaving her behind would deeply dishonor everything their families stood for. The thought of his possible death lingered in her mind. She became frightened. She became frustrated. She became angry. But still, His judgement was best. Maybe Rodolphus had done something to anger her Lord. There had to be a reason for his death. Bellatrix grabbed at her hair and scalp angrily. That stupid husband of hers! What had he done? He is dead! What would she tell her family? Being the firstborn of her generation, would they be mad? She would be a widow! Could she remarry and put this behind her? She began to get ahead of herself. Thoughs flew into her head and out and then in again. She developed a throbbing headache but did not bother to do anything about it. She just sat on the couch, in almost agony. Her headache, her family, her husband, her Lord!

At that very moment, completely unannounced, Rodolphus strolled in the door and placed his hat on the coat rack. Bellatrix rose from her seat in the middle of the sitting room, aghast at her soon-to-be-husband standing in front of her. His face had a few scars and cuts around it and his arm had a long burn. _He isnt dead?_ was her first thought.

"Rodolphus?" She gaped.

"Hello Bellatrix." He said and he hugged her tightly.

She stood still, almost limp in his arms, surprised he was even alive. She touched his face lightly with the pads of her fingertips. "What happened? Where have you been?"

"Everywhere. But...I still cant--"

"--Tell me. I know." She curtly tucked her lips and turned her head. She heaved a deep breath and told the house elf to get a nice supper ready. "Come, come." She led him into the dining room quietly. Her eyebrows were pushed together, not angrily, but wonderously.

"You look beautiful, but also you look like you have not slept in days!" He brushed a strand of hair from her face. Bellatrix stared into his face and into his brown eyes.

"Why did you not write?" She asked in a whisper.

"I was very busy, and all that would happen if I did write you would be angry letters from you!" He said.

Her eyebrows lifted. "I thought you were dead. Rodolphus, you dont even understand what that would do to me and everyone else around us!" Bellatrix said.

"Dont worry about me. Okay?" He said soothingly.

Bellatrix's usual hard expression softened. "Okay."

"Pokey has supper!" Pokey walked into the room and stared at Rodolphus. "Master? Master! Your home!"

"Go away Pokey, just bring us our food." Bellatrix said, rubbing her temples.

"Yes, Miss Lestrange! Right away!" Pokey agreed, sticking a finger into the air.

"Has she brightened up or is it just me?" Rodolphus said, trying to ease the tense feeling.

Bellatrix snorted and rolled her eyes.


	13. Chapter 13

_**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**_

Years passed and May of 1975 came quicker than Bellatrix wanted. It was her wedding day.

"Bellatrix! Bellatrix! You put that dress on!" Druella pointed at the old, yellowing, lace fabric laid across Bellatrix's room that she was given for the 'special day'.

"Yes Mother," Bellatrix groaned to herself at the dress. She put it on over her slip and smoothed it out. She did not say anything about the hideousness of the dress since it had been passed down their family line all the way from when Ursula Flint married Phineas Nigellus, her great great grandfather.

"Oh! How wonderful!" Her mother said, clapping her hands when Bellatrix turned around to face her.

Bellatrix sucked in air slightly. _I'm wearing this ugly dress to this wedding that I was forced to be in. _She licked the inside of her mouth. _I will never let a child of mine wear this dress! I am disgusted my mother would make me wear this in front of all these high status families! This is family humiliation! _But Bellatrix had to admit to herself, the dress was flattering on her strong body. She was also relieved when her mother pulled out a very long white cloak that went over the top of the dress. It was a very little bit sheer and the neck was pulled together by a silver pin with the elaborate Black family crest in silver. She looked wonderful. Anyone who would have seen her standing there as they walked past would have had to take a double take at her beauty. Her black hair was a very big contrast to the dress. However, her mother pulled it up into a very interesting design of curls and clips. And then on top, she placed a small, sparkly, silver tiara.

After a while Bellatrix was ushered into a back room that has one door to the isle she would walk down. She could hear the faint voice of the man who would wed her and Rodolphus. He had a strong, loud voice; one that boomed above all of the whispers amongst the rows of people. She was called forth about ten minutes later. She swept back one lone loose piece of hair and walked through the doors that had magically opened for her.

Murmurs and whispers surrounded the bride. She walked down, regally, to the stage. She held her head high keeping her nose in the air. She passed the rows of witnesses and let her eyes rest on each family. All of the pureblood families were there; from the Yaxley's, the Crouch's, the Bulstrode's, all the way to the questionable Snape family. Each looked in awe at the beautiful woman who strode up the isle. She came to stand beside her soon-to-be husband and he took a side glance at her and then looked forward. The ugly fat old man who was doing their sermon began to speak again. She grew bored at the length of his speech. She stood straight though, determined not to show any sign of boredom. Her hair gave her a slight headache because it was pulled into such a tight style.

The man giving the sermon's neck wobbled when he spoke. Bellatrix kept a straight face when she looked at him. She wondered if he was old enough to have been the man that wed her parents too. Her eyebrows scrunched up, she knew her mother would have scolded her for doing such a thing at such a very crowded place. She blinked at her husband, who was looking directly at her.

"..I now pronounce you man and wife." Everyone clapped politely. "You may kiss the bride."

Rodolphus leaned in and kissed Bellatrix sweetly on the lips. She kissed back for a brief minute because she did not want this to turn into a big scene. She turned and faced the crowd who was still clapping.

People began rising from their rows, one at a time. They came up to the front of the room, thanking Bellatrix and Rodolphus for 'the invitation to such an extravagant and wonderful wedding.' They just smiled, nodded and shook hands as they were instructed to do, being the bride and groom. Then, the ushers led them out of the room to another location they could leave from.

They were the last to leave the church. Rodolphus was first to speak.

"Bellatrix Lestrange. I am so glad I was the one who could take your lovely hand in marriage. To whom do I owe the pleasure to?" He said softly as he clasped her hand in his.

"My father. Please, Rodolphus, we are in public," she said coldly. She pulled her hand from his and smoothed out her dress. Rodolphus was neither smiling nor frowning at her words. Nothing could rain on his day today, he was married and he loved the attention all of the guests were giving him. Bellatrix glanced at her husband and walked, nearly stomped, down the road to their home.

"I need a drink," Rodolphus announced after a moment of silence.

"Well? Then just go ahead and get one," Bellatrix said to him.

"Right. I will see you later, my bride." He bowed to her, with his eyes on her the whole time, and then strode off in a different direction. He apparated into the big bar down the street.

She huffed at his words and then pulled out her wand. She apparated from that spot, getting tired of walking in her nice white heels.

She stood again on the steps of her home and walked inside.

Pokey greeted her shakily and asked if there would be any guests for the occasion of their wedding. She said no and waved her away.

She was glad there would be no after party. Her mother had told her before that after parties were for people who had no respect and just wanted to get drunk. Bellatrix thought that her mother was right. All of the wedding parties she had attended had drunk people and people dancing wildly.

Bellatrix rubbed her temples and collapsed on the couch.

About four weeks later, Bellatrix awoke in the night, hearing tapping at her window. She opened it to let in a large barn owl. It swooped in, blowing a paper off her desk with its massive wings. She held the note and watched it soar back out the window before shutting it again. She unrolled the crisp parchment carefully.

"Lumos," Bellatrix whispered.

_Dear Bellatrix, _

_The Dark Lord is at his greatest strength. He is powerful and prepared to take action against all forces to cleanse the wizarding world of the filth that has penetrated our once clean society. As faithful servants and loyal allies, we must stand up and help in this coming war between right and wrong. _

_Prepare to battle. _

_Prepare to fight._

_Be ready to do what you know is right._

_Bellatrix Lestrange, all of the Death Eaters will meet tomorrow evening. Meet in the graveyard that he has come from. Eleven o'clock sharp. Please notify Rodolphus Lestrange of this event too. We don't want him to miss a very important meeting. Anyone who does not attend will be punished to the greatest extent. Do what is right._

_(The Dark Mark imprinted in wax.)_

The letter was unsigned. Bellatrix looked over at her sleeping husband and then back at the note. Her hands were nearly trembling with excitement. She put out her wand.

She would see her great Lord again! She could finally be in his wonderful presence! _I will be able to show him that I am still loyal! I will show him he can trust me more than any of those other people combined! Oh will he love me! I will be his greatest servant! All of the other Death Eaters will look foolish compared to me! _ She grinned at herself in the dark. She sat on the bed and swung her feet over and lay on top of the blankets. There was no way she could sleep that night. There was too much on her mind.


	14. Chapter 14

_**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**_

Bellatrix stood dressed in a blood red cloak. Every feature was hidden in the shadows, away from the moonlight that shined down on the graveyard. This was where every Death Eater meeting took place; in this same spot. It had been years since she had seen her Dark Lord. Her eyes searched the group of people. Her husband stood beside her. Her old school friends were there. Ryan Avery, Mulciber, Evan Rosier, and what surprised her most was Severus Snape. She assumed the only reason why he was there was because he was extraordinarily skilled with the Dark Arts. Also amongst the group was her sister, Narcissa, her latest boyfriend Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix's parents, and most of the other members of the Black family, including Sirius's younger brother, Regulus.

"Hello, my servants," a startling cold voice said from nowhere.

Bellatrix pushed back her shoulders and straightened her back. She knew who was honoring her and the others with his presence. She kept her posture proud.

"You have returned. Very good," Voldemort said softly, coming into view. He wore a long black robe that dragged on the floor behind him. His white skin contrasted drastically with it and his red eyes glowed from the inside of his hood. He walked around the circle of people, pausing to look in each person's eyes. He stopped momentarily in front of Bellatrix and his lips curled slightly into a smile. "Bellatrix Lestrange, congratulations on the wedding. Too bad I was not there to attend."

"My Lord, I invited you," Bellatrix replied smoothly.

"I know, Bella, but I could not attend. It just would not have…worked out," his smile faltered and he lifted a curious eyebrow at her. "You see, it would have done more harm than good."

"I understand completely. I sent you an invitation to let be you aware that I remembered you," she said, keeping a straight face as she stared dead at him.

"I know Bella." He moved on around the circle giving each person left a look into their eyes, almost as though he could read into their minds.

"Well! It's good to know that each and every one of you has been as faithful as I had hoped. Now, let us move on to bigger news—The Order of the Phoenix," announced Voldemort with his spidery hands clasped together. His face was a mixture of anger and pride. "I am pretty sure we all know who they are. We have names of the members. Some of the spies in the group, you know who you are, have collected information I have asked for me. You will be rewarded later." His eyes scanned the group, stopping on a few faces about every few people, "Just so everyone is caught up, I wanted to go over once more who they are and how we can stop them. The Order is a group of old Hogwarts students, particularly the ones who did very well or were well known for their magical abilities, of whom were some of Dumbledore's personal favorites," he sneered at the last part of his sentence. "They are the people who think they can balance good and evil in the Wizarding world. They see us as the bad and themselves as the good. They do not understand that we are the good, trying to save the pureblood wizards from extinction forever. If that happened, the blood in the veins of wizards would run dirty forever and we would never be able to go back and heal such a wound. They think that if they become powerful enough, they can overcome the most skilled wizards of all. We are the most pure race. We can stop them before mud bloods and blood-traitors steal our magic, or spread knowledge of acceptance. We will fight for the cleansing of the world. So far, they have a group of maybe twelve or fifteen. We have over double and the great potential to get more support. Lots of wizards now see eye-to-eye with the theory of a cleaner world. We can gather them, and we can stomp out all of the thoughts of a mixed-blood world."

There was a moment of silence. It was not that every one was in fear, or even feeling awkward, they were just all thinking about the ways that they could contribute to such a big cause. They thought over his words carefully. They would be the ones to stop this horrible mess the world was getting into.

Severus pushed a piece of greasy hair from his eyes and spoke up, "what are we going to do? I understand there is a very small clad of The Order, but we are only a group of about forty, we can't do much." He frowned and looked at Voldemort.

"Severus, there are hundreds and thousands of people out there, waiting for the right moment to ask about ending the mud-blood madness. We have all of those people on our side. I have done traveling. Have you not wondered where I have been?" Voldemorts voice was very close to sarcastic. Severus only pursed his lips and nodded. Voldemort tilted his head, "understood?"

"Yes," Severus said curtly.

"Very nice," Voldemort commented, identical to Severus's tone. He then turned and looked at Peter Pettigrew.

Bellatrix followed his eyes and looked at the short, fat, squirming man herself. He twitched and shivered, much like the house-elf she has.

"Pettigrew," he cooed.

"Y-y-yes my Master?" the man stuttered, looking at the dirt and flattened grass the whole time he spoke.

"Do you bring news from the other side? It is the only use I have of you," Voldemort said softly.

"I-I-I think so. Lily Evans and James Potter married last month, a few weeks after Mrs. Lestrange, sir. An-and then Sirius Black officially joined, sir." Pettigrew shivered, still looking away from Voldemorts fiery eyes.

"A pureblood marrying a mud blood? This is a tragic situation; it is in dire need of our assistance. You see what our world is crumbling to? Do you understand?" Voldemort hissed with anger. A few people nodded, but most just stayed silent and looked at their feet or the ground. "Black? Sirius Black…my what to think of that poor fellow? Can you tell me Walburga? He is your son after all." Voldemort ridiculed.

Walburga Black's color fell completely from her face. "My Lord, I know that you are well aware that he is no son of mine! The only real son I have is Regulus!" she stated, trying to convince herself.

Voldemort looked amused. "Walburga, have you forgotten that he is the heir to the Black throne?"

"Master!" she gasped, "don't let me remember!" she spat, "he may be the heir, but I know he will die alone! No witch will ever marry such an awful excuse for a wizard! The whole legacy will be Bellatrix's! She will be a proper Black and represent us well!" Walburga's voice had become a shout. She was red in the face, angry with her oldest son.

Voldemort wicked chuckled at the thoughts in his head. "Ah, well moving on, our plot…if we want to go anywhere with this, you need to trust me first, Crouch." Voldemort sneered, raising his head to the boy.

Barty Crouch Junior looked up in terror. He pushed back his hood slightly so his very pale face could become more visible. He was maybe eighteen but the expression on his face reminded Bellatrix of that of a ten year old kid being caught in the act of something. "Master! But I did not…"

"Don't bother, Crouch," said Voldemort, shooing him with his hand.

Barty fell silent and let his white face sink behind his dark cloak.

Then it hit Bellatrix, _He knows Legilimency! _She knew it explained how it seemed like he could read her mind before. She also knew that it was a very hard practice to learn such a thing. Bellatrix began to wonder if he could teach her how to use Legilimency and Occlumency.

"Death Eaters! You are dismissed! Go home! Remember what I have preached to you!" Voldemort commanded to the cluster of people.

"Lord! I wish to speak with you," Bellatrix said to Voldemort quietly.

"Of course. Of what, may I ask?" Voldemort drawled.

"You know Legilimency. It is something I want to learn. So I would like to ask if you could teach me it," Bellatrix inquired almost shyly, afraid of him saying no.

"How could it leave my mind to teach you that? I will! It may take a few lessons, Bellatrix. Legilimency is a hard concept to learn, unlike the curses and jinxes I have taught you before. It requires a great deal of concentration, but once you have become skilled in it, you can use it at your own whim." Voldemort began to trail off, smiling to himself because he had successfully learned to use such a wonderful skill, all on his own. He looked back at Bellatrix, right in the eyes. "Lessons begin at eleven tomorrow night."

Bellatrix nodded and looked behind her, where Rodolphus was waiting for her.

_Pop!_ Voldemort had disapparated.

"Why are you still here?" She asked as though she had been betrayed.

"I was waiting for you. You are my wife, it is what I will do to keep you safe," Rodolphus said coolly, used to the arguments she usually began whenever he was alone with her.

"So you don't think I am safe with my Lord?" She snarled, sparking the fire.

"Bellatrix! How dare you accuse me of that!" Rodolphus said, raising his voice. He rolled his eyes.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so obvious," Bellatrix retorted, smiling at the argument she started. She fingered her wand that was inside her pocket.

"I was not doing anything! Bellatrix, you are just doing this to irk me!" He replied angrily, throwing his hands in the air.

"Watch your mouth, Rodolphus! Respect me! You know I am fully capable of jinxing and cursing you into oblivion!" she said smirking. She held her wand in her outstretched arm.

"This is stupid Bellatrix! I was waiting for you! That's it! I'm leaving now!" He said dismissing her threats, disapparating on the spot.

"Fine! You do that!" She shouted at the empty space in front of her. She stood up straight and looked around at the empty graveyard. The fog was settled eerily above the grass and around her feet. She snorted and disapparated.


	15. Chapter 15

_**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**_

The first day of November 1978 dawned softly. The light sun filled the sky with pinks and oranges that matched the autumn leaves. Birds whistled from the deepest pits of their feathery bodies. However, despite the mild mood that flowed in the air, Bellatrix was feeling rather sour. She had been up all night waiting for a reply from her Dark Lord. He had not responded to her letters in months. She worried for him. In each of his meetings he discussed the Order and how much of a threat they posed. He had risen a great deal in these small years, but still, his strength was only matched by Albus Dumbledore. As frail and as old the man was, he was the only person of whom Voldemort never spoke of being greater than.

Bellatrix sat at her desk with her arms folded crossly. For once in such a long, long while she was genuinely upset with her Lord. She had (up until this point) had always been the first person he would discuss some of his plans with. He would let her in on a few things. In fact, he had taught her so much in her lifetime. He taught her curses, jinxes, hexes, and even Occlumency. She mastered Occlumency with so much talent. She thought the Lord was actually pleased with the rapid pace she had taken to learn the skill. Her eyebrows furrowed with her thoughts. _He is gone again on a mission! I would have joined him! Why does he not ask? I can help him so much in defeating the Order! I can find a way to bring them down!_ She laughed haughtily to herself.

"Bella? Ah, I have found you. I am going into town for a drink or two with Avery. You remember him? I may be late into the afternoon for I have a few errands to take care of also," Rodolphus announced to his flustered wife through the open sliver of the door.

"Where are you going?" Bellatrix asked without even looking in his general direction.

"I am going to Hogsmeade. Good bye," he said, shutting the door the rest of the way, annoyed with the questions she asks every time before he leaves.

Bellatrix moved her mind back to her Lord. She was on the brink of going out to find him herself. She knew better though, because people of the Order were lurking everywhere she looked, trying to find out about the Dark Lord. She never left the house much nowadays. The only time was for meetings with the Death Eaters, which never happened anymore. She felt out of the loop, but she did not do anything to try and fix it. The only people who even owled her was Narcissa and her parents. Andromeda never did ever since she married Ted Tonks the Muggle and birthed one of his children. Bellatrix refused any owls that came from Andromeda all together.

Her sister?

A blood-traitor?

Then she is no sister of any Black at all!

Bellatrix figured that Andromeda, Ted Tonks the Muggle, the child, and Sirius should all just move in together. Stupid blood-traitors.

Bellatrix began to get upset with herself for getting off track so easily. Her thoughts were clustered and weaving in her brain in a completely unorganized manner.

A few hours later, Bellatrix was found, still waiting impatiently for a reply letter. It was nearly two in the afternoon and none had come.

_Maybe he is just so far away that the owls flight is too long to make in a morning. I guess the letter will come anytime now. Maybe even tonight. _ She smoothed out her long deep green dress and straightened her back. "Pokey!" she called, allowing her voice to ring shrilly through the Lestrange Manor.

_Pop!_ "Yes Miss Lestrange?" Pokey asked bowing politely from the middle of the room.

"Straighten your back! Go find Rodolphus! I have important news for him!" Bellatrix said with her lip curling.

"Right away Miss Lestrange!" Pokey saluted and gave her a deep bow and then disapparated.

Bellatrix turned her head and looked into the mirror that sat behind her desk. Her hair had grown more frazzled and curly. Its spiraling strands stuck out loosely from her bun at the top of her head. The black glimmered dully in the light of the room. Her eyes were deep into her face but were very large and round. The darkness of her irises pierced through her own reflection. She had even grown a little boney in the face from the long periods where she did not eat just because she would merely forget. This made every feature on her face more prominent and visible. However, disagreeing with her facial reflection, her body was still tall and strong. Her clothing clung to her body, and the altogether look of Bellatrix made her look strikingly attractive. She knew, without even needing the voice of others to tell her, that she was a beautiful woman.

"Miss Lestrange! I found him!" Pokey held Rodolphus's reluctant wrist up as high as she could reach, which was barely above Rodolphus's waist.

"Dismissed," Bellatrix said, eyeing her husband.

"Bellatrix, why did you have to do that? You are perfectly capable of getting me yourself," Rodolphus sighed, shaking his head.

"I have news for you," Bellatrix announced briskly.

"So I have heard. What is it?"

"If I do not hear from our Lord within a few months, I will be setting off to find him myself!" she said proudly.

"What? Bellatrix! That would be most dumb thing you could do! The Lord is on a mission! Can't you tell from the lack of letters? We have not had a single meeting in over six months! He is busy, and if you interrupt him, there will be a lot of punishment handed to you in return!" Rodolphus nearly yelled, trying to get his point across.

Bellatrix understood what he was trying to say, she just did not accept it. "Rodolphus, I am pretty sure that we both know that he trusts me more than you. You are probably trying to dispel his lack of contact as 'just another mission', but he would have told me about it. I see his lack of contact as a bad sign, Rodolphus. For me, at least. I will search high and low for my Lord. You can do whatever, just do not come complaining to me when he stops telling you the latest advancements he has made in his plans," Bellatrix argued aggressively.

"You know what? If you leave, I am coming with you," Rodolphus told her, knowing he was crushing at least one of her plans.

"Rodo—"

"—no, really, I insist. I can help you out with whatever you plan to accomplish. In fact, would it be okay if I take a few of my closest friends with me?" he said with a defiant tone.

"Fine! But I am the leader of this plot! You will obey to my commands! You AND your useless friends!" she shouted, beginning to lose hope in her own plan.

"Sounds great," he said with a sarcastic smile.

Almost exactly a year later, Bellatrix had heard very little from her Lord. Since earlier that year he had had a very close encounter with a few members of the Order, Bellatrix kept an eye always watching in his direction. She declared that she would always be there for him, to ally him in any duel he was involved in. Of course, she made that vow a very long time ago, and now, she still planned on never breaking it.

"Rodolphus! I am leaving!" She called up the stairs.

He appeared from around a corner behind her and softly he said, "to where Bella?"

"Don't worry your mind with that!" she literally snapped at him.

A wry smile on his face appeared. "Normally, you tell me. I know now. I will get a hold of a few friends. They can help. Trust me, Bella; they will be more useful than you think."

Bellatrix sulked childishly and told him to hurry up because time was wasting rapidly.

Within about ten seconds, Rabastan and Barty Crouch Junior appeared in their living room. Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "Rodolphus! Why these two?" she whispered loudly at him in another room.

"My dear, Barty's father is the Minister of Magic. He is very likely to let us off if we get caught. And Rabastan? No one knows him. No one. This would make him hard to identify. See what I mean?" he said, nudging her lightly.

She pushed his elbow away and walked into the living room. "You two! I assume you know what you are here for?"

Rabastan shook his head. "Naw ma'am, Rodolphus just told me an' him," he shoved his thumb in Crouch Jr's direction. "tha' he needs us fast."

Crouch Jr made a face at Rabastan's manner of speaking. "Do you mind letting me in on a few things Miss Lestrange?"

She straightened her back and turned to Crouch Jr. "As a matter of fact, I can. Crouch, we are going on a little trip."

"What do you mean by that?" he eyed the woman suspiciously.

"I think we can both agree that you need to gain a little bit more…worthiness towards the Dark Lord," she said, tossing her hair and licking her lips when she finished speaking.

Crouch Jr said nothing.

"So," Bellatrix continued, "we are going to set out to look for him. I have a feeling that something has happened to him."

"Bellatrix, I think you are exaggerating a little. He can't get hurt! It's impossible! He is the Dark Lord! He is the most powerful wizard ever," Crouch Jr argued.

"Wouldn't you rather be seen as at least one for trying instead of sitting here and waiting to hear if he is still existing or not?" Bellatrix snarled.

"Fine Bellatrix, I will go!" he gave in, dropping his shoulders.

Bellatrix looked at Rodolphus, stony faced. He looked back at her with a sheepish smile, knowing he had just one-upped Bellatrix in an argument. She had given in to letting him bring a few people along, AND the people agreed. Bellatrix looked at the two boys in front of her. Crouch Jr was maybe seventeen or eighteen and Rabastan was about twenty two. They were young and Bellatrix convinced herself the reason why she was letting them come along was for her sake not theirs. She would be seen as a greater being in her Lord's eyes.

"When we leaving ma'am?" Rabastan asked raising his hand like he was in a class.

"Put your hand down. Tomorrow, before dawn and you had better be ready," Bellatrix growled at the two boys.

Rabastan saluted and Crouch Jr nodded. Both boys disapparated from the room. Bellatrix turned her whole body to Rodolphus, who immediately sensed danger.

"Rabastan? The man is a drooling idiot! Why would you pick him of all people to join us on such a trip! I will torture you until the end of your days if he messes up! If he does, this could cost me my place in the Dark Lord's inner circle! Rodolphus, I have earned it and there is no way I am going to let a big idiot mess up my standing in the Death Eaters!"

"Bellatrix, he is not that bad. Sure he does not have the greatest grammar, but he will still be useful. Maybe he could do our dirty work. Think of it this way, he will be the easiest to put a memory charm on and that could mean we could make him think HE has been doing all of it."

"This is ridiculous! The Ministry and about every other person in existence knows how to reverse a memory charm," she yelled at Rodolphus.

"But the thing is, Bellatrix, you are a Black. I believe, the last time I checked, that Blacks have an abnormal talent with the Dark Arts. You could just tinker with the charm a little bit, and poof! You have a rock solid memory charm," Rodolphus assured her.

Bellatrix nodded slowly. "Interesting."

"Yes," Rodolphus said with a smile.


	16. Chapter 16

_**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**_

Bellatrix and Rodolphus waited impatiently with Crouch Jr. for Rodolphus's brother, Rabastan to arrive. Bellatrix licked the inside of her mouth and tapping her right foot on the ground. When Rabastan finally decided to show up, Bellatrix was about ready to hex him into the next week. It was just turning dawn on the Lestrange Manor.

"Sorry it took me ma'am. I was just uh, tidying up myself," Rabastan apologized stupidly. He looked down proudly at his white tee shirt and black pants as though he was a little child, dressing himself for the first time.

Bellatrix grunted and looked at Rodolphus who just shrugged. "Lets just disapparate," she said, giving Rabastan a once over.

"I think I answer for us all when I ask, where to Madame?" Crouch Jr. asked snidely.

"The graveyard first; that's where all of our meetings are held, so maybe there is a chance he will be there." Bellatrix shrugged slightly.

"Ah," Crouch Jr. nodded in agreement.

"Now, let us go!" Bellatrix turned and disappeared with the three men right behind her. Her boots landed softly in a patch of grass right next to a giant, old and gnarled tree. She caught her grip on its trunk just as the three other men appeared beside her. She huffed and straightened out her dress. "Look now, be swift!" she commanded to the group of three. Bellatrix walked over to the normal patch of grass they stand at. She called to him.

"My Lord? My Master? Where are you?" Her voice echoed into the open air.

"Bella…" a soft voice cooed from the dark.

"My Lord?" Bellatrix answered, furrowing her eyebrows.

Voldemort appeared from the shadows and stood in front of her. He was so pale in the night; it took Bellatrix a second to adjust her eyes to the deep contrast of light and dark. His eyes glowed a ruby red and his nostril slits open and closed. "Bellatrix, how nice of you to come and join me out here. Why did you decide to come?"

Bellatrix seized the question as a chance to one up everyone else. "My Lord, you know I can never live with myself without hearing from you." She licked her teeth. "I wanted to come find you as fast as I could, to see if you could possibly need any kind of service in you travels. This was the first place I came, I know how much you enjoy the solitude." She lifted her chin higher into the air, bulging with self-pride.

"How kind. If I assumed you were alone, I would be terribly mistaken. Who and where are the others? Also, Bellatrix, I have news for you." Voldemort eyed Bellatrix carefully.

"Rodolphus, Rabastan and Crouch Junior are out wandering the grave yard for you. What is the news my Lord?" Bellatrix's eyebrows were still drawn together, her gaze never left her master.

"Ah, all the more company. I will tell the group of you, seeing as you would be most interested," a smile flickered on Voldemorts ghastly face.

Bellatrix yelled out to the men, who took a minute to arrive. When they were standing together, in a spaced out circle, Voldemort began.

"I have been told by one of my spies of something that will happen soon. This could change the world, but if we can stop it, nothing could alter what we don't want. A woman made a prophesy," his voice halted and he looked into the face of each person standing before him.

"I don't understand," Crouch Jr. whispered, looking at the grass around his feet.

Voldemort continued, "_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies_," Voldemort paused and frowned, "Pettigrew said there was more but his 'small ears could not hear much," Voldemort sneered and continued again, "_and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."_

The first thing Bellatrix could do was laugh. Each pair of eyes from each person standing around her fell on her. The Lord's eyes narrowed and he hissed, "Are you mocking me?"

Bellatrix stopped laughing immediately and gasped, "No! My Lord, please forgive me but I just thought the idea of you being vanquished was ludicrous!" The corner of Voldemort's lip rose, baring his teeth. Bellatrix sighed, "You already have trolls and creatures on your side. How could anyone be able to overpower _you_?" she assured him seriously.

"Thank you Bella," Voldemort frowned with slight disgust.

Bellatrix nodded happily and looked at Rodolphus, briefly sizing him up.

"You four have a mission for me. In two months, at the beginning of January, you will set out to find those who have defied me. Only two families have defied me twice. They were under Dumbledore's protection when I was weaker," Voldemort spat.

"Who are they?" Rodolphus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The Longbottoms—Frank and Alice, and the Potters—James and Lily," Voldemort's fists clenched and unclenched. His long nails dug into his palms.

Bellatrix smirked, "let us take care of your problem. We can kill them before the children are even born! In fact, the children will be conceived this month!" Bellatrix cackled at her logic. "Let us leave now! We can fix it!" Bellatrix did not want to toy with the idea of asking how they defied him. In truth, she did not want to know.

Voldemort stared at Bellatrix and spoke shortly, "you will leave when I say. Follow my instructions Bella."

"I will," Bellatrix promised reluctantly.

Voldemort shook his head. "As I said, these are the two couples that I know of. There could be more. Besides, I am pretty sure I would know if I was defied."

Rabastan looked glassy-eyed at his Lord. "Doubt there are more, sir; your one tough man."

Voldemort gave Rabastan a strange look that barely stayed on his face. His eyes flashed with a bright red glow and he said, "two months is all you have to get ready to leave for good. I know you were intending to spend a longer time looking for me," Voldemort said, reading through Rodolphus's mind. Rodolphus rubbed his forehead in amazement. Voldemort settled his eyes on the man and spoke again, "do you understand me? No one else will know about this little trip. Not you parents, not your siblings, not even your _friends_."

Bellatrix let her mouth curl into a small smile when she heard him say friends. She knew exactly who he was inferring to. She looked at her husband and then back into the shimmering dark eyes of her Lord.

"Now," Voldemort's evil smile returned. "Let's fast things forward."

"How?" Crouch Jr. inquired very curiously.

"Don't you worry!" Voldemort snapped.

Time shifted strangely. It was not that much of a change except when Bellatrix looked at the ground, the leaves and sticks had moved around and the tree had no more leaves.

"You have two weeks." Voldemort disapparated.

As far as Bellatrix knew, that was the last she heard from her Lord before she and the three men left in search of the two unknowing families.


	17. Chapter 17

_**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**_

Rabastan and Crouch Jr. stayed at the Lestrange Manor, contrary to what Bellatrix wanted, until the day they would leave.

"Rodolphus! We are leaving now! Hurry up!" Bellatrix called, rapping on the bathroom door, frustrated with Rodolphus's need to look so handsome. Rabastan and Crouch Jr. stood at the bottom of the stairs impatiently.

"Ah! I am ready!" Rodolphus responded smoothly, "Shall we disapparate in front of the entry door?"

"That's what we had planned all along, Rodolphus, have you forgotten?" Bellatrix frowned with wide eyes.

Rodolphus just smiled and turned to face his wife at the bottom of the stairs. He held up his wand and disapparated.

Bellatrix followed en suite. And Rabastan and Crouch Jr. were just on their heels.

"Rodolphus? How did you know where they lived?" Bellatrix asked, looking down her nose, she studied the house.

"I asked around before we left, it was not that hard, really." he replied with a shrug.

"Well! What are you waiting for?" Bellatrix called to the men that stood at the wire gate. She marched up the cement steps to the front door. Her boots clunked loudly with each of her steps, making her presence known.

The men followed Rodolphus's haughty wife until all four stood at the door.

Bellatrix's hand grasped the brass knocker and she banged it on the door. She straightened her back, pushed a few stray black curls behind her ears and straightened her dark cloak. Her hands grazed the Black family crest that held the cloak shut.

The door opened all of the way to show a tall man with jet black hair. His eyes narrowed as though he was trying to figure out who the people were. "Yes?" The man said, extending the word a little bit.

"May we step inside? We have very urgent news," Bellatrix spoke officially; she looked at Rodolphus and Crouch Jr. "It involves your wife."

"Yes, yes. Is something wrong? What has happened?" The man questioned nervously. Bellatrix shook her head curtly and the man led them into an open room where his wife sat on the sofa, looking wide-eyed at the visitors. She did not open her mouth to speak, but she looked at her husband with the utmost confusion.

"This is my wife, Alice," the man said, nodding in her direction.

"Why are you here?" Alice asked politely.

"We just have a bit of news for ya ma'am," Rabastan said, with his hand in his pocket.

All at the same time, Rabastan, Rodolphus, Crouch Jr, and Bellatrix pulled out their wands. Frank and Alice Longbottom threw their hands in the air and Alice was the first of the pair to protest.

"We don't even have our wands! You cannot…" she sputtered in disbelief.

"Quiet wench!" Bellatrix hissed, poking her wand at Alice. "You hold a baby in your belly, am I correct?" Her eyes glittered.

"You are correct," Frank said, bowing his head and pursing his lips.

"Frank!" Alice shrieked.

"I cannot lie, Alice."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Crouch Jr asked the horrified woman.

"It's a boy!" tears rolled down her face as she answered.

"How wonderful. Congratulations." Bellatrix said sarcastically, "well then, lets get down to business shall we?" a wicked smile stretched across Bellatrix's face. Her lips spoke softly and she looked at Crouch Jr. to assist her, "Crucio," they said at the same time.

Rodolphus and Rabastan pointed at Frank and in unison, they yelled, "Crucio!"

The couple shuddered violently. Alice screamed and Frank's eyes rolled back. The veins on his neck popped out and both of their faces turned a plum purple. Alice's lip split.

"Crucio!" Bellatrix cackled with glee, the word now rolled off of her tongue with ease, for this was the first time in her life she had ever done this spell without her Lord in her presence. She flicked her wand again and shouted, "Crucio! Crucio!"

Rabastan took a deep breath in and bellowed, "Crucio!"

The couple twisted at odd angles on the floor. Their bodies convulsed with a horrible pain. Alice clutched her belly for a split second and then cried out in pure agony. Bellatrix just laughed at her. Frank's hand reached out and he held his wife's shoulder.

Rodolphus sneered and whispered with a wide smile, "Crucio."

Crouch held his wand firmly with his eyes fixed on Alice. There was no expression on his face.

The eyes of Frank and Alice bulged, their heads lolled around as they screamed in pain. The only sign of any kind of struggle was the Alice's lip. They shook and contorted wildly before the two stopped moving and fell unconscious, their faces still a bright shade of purple.

"Stop!" a voice boomed from behind the group of four. They turned around to see about six men standing behind them.

"And who do you think you are? You think you can stop us?" Bellatrix smirked at the men.

Dumbledore stroked the bottom of his beard. "I see you have done a great deal of damage to this poor couple. You must have done this for Lord Voldemort?" He said his name with no problem

Bellatrix heaved in a big breath of air and howled, "you dare speak his name! You are not worthy! Quiet before I silence you myself!"

"Oh, Bellatrix, the only reason I am here is to help the Longbottoms and find out why you would do such a thing to them," Dumbledore's old voice wobbled as he spoke.

Bellatrix chuckled.

"Why did you do it?" Dumbledore's blue eyes pierced into her, but she deflected them by looking into his with amusement.

"I am pretty sure you know that answer," she smiled as she arched a menacing eyebrow.

"The prophesy." Dumbledore nodded. "I am surprised he found out. I wonder who told him…"

Bellatrix laughed again.

"Take them away!" A stout brown-haired man said as workers for the Ministry of Magic seized the arms of the group of four. They took Bellatrix's, Rodolphus's, Rabastan's, and Crouch Jr.'s wands.

"He will find the Potters! If the Longbottoms survive in the right mind, their child won't!" Bellatrix screeched into the faces of the Order. She was pushed outside where she was forced to side-along apparate with the official the held her arms.

Bellatrix laughed the whole time; throwing her head back just for the sheer pleasure that she did exactly what her Lord asked her. Although she was very aware of where she was going, she felt the strong sense of accomplishment. She knew she would be rewarded.

All of the eight people faced the giant grey building, famously known as Azkaban.

"Your trial will be announced tomorrow," the brown haired official informed her angrily. "I will see to it that you get the worst punishment possible!" He pushed her back and made her walk into the enormous building. She stepped on the rocks and followed his lead down a dark hallway.

Hundreds of people behind the bars reached through and clawed at the ground at her feet. She stepped over their arms in disgust, keeping her Black style by making sure her back was straight and her chin was up. They moaned and called out to her.

"Bellatrix! I knew you in school!" a voice shouted behind her. Bellatrix did not bother to turn around. She kept walking until the man pushed her sideways into a cell.

"This will be your new home! Dirt, cold metal, and cement! You cannot escape—no one has before! Your trial date will be issued tomorrow. You will stay in here probably until the rest of your life," the man snarled at her.

Bellatrix let out another short laugh. "I'd like to see you try and stop me! I will escape! You'll see!" she shouted so the whole building could hear.


	18. Chapter 18

_**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**_

Bellatrix was sitting against the wall about a week later when the Daily Prophet plopped down from nowhere in front of her like every other day. She reached over for it and pulled it back into both of her hands. Her eyes became glued to the cover. The photograph of Sirius Black laughed up at her. She read swiftly over the headline:

_The Tragic Death of Lily and James Potter—Sirius Black Blamed!_

The subheading below read in flashy script:

_Sirius Black was blamed for passing information to the Dark Lord after swearing to be their secret-keeper. _

Bellatrix screamed with laughter. _Good Job Sirius! Finally stepping up! Completing our job!_ She laughed at the newspaper, not even feeling like reading the entire article.

The doors to the prison opened and closed. Bellatrix had heard them do so many times before. However, this time, the newspaper she had just looked at made her press herself against the bars for a better view.

"Sirius Blood-traitor Black! Welcome to Azkaban!" one prisoner shouted.

"Bet his family loves him even more now!" another prisoner mused.

Sirius Black came into view and approached the empty cell right beside Bellatrix's.

"Sirius," Bellatrix cooed, "you have come to join me! Such a good boy!"

"Your crazy, Bellatrix! I have not done anything! Your filthy, cowardly Lord did!" He shouted at her with split flying from his mouth. The cell door behind him locked.

"HOW DARE YOU BESMIRCH THE NAME OF MY LORD? NOW TELL ME, BOY, DID THE CHILD LIVE?" She yelled at him through the bars.

"YES! Harry James Potter lives!" Sirius screamed at the top of his lungs. "My godson LIVES!"

"You lie!" she screeched at him. "No one can survive after dealing with the Dark Lord!"

"Harry Potter can. Just think Bellatrix, Harry Potter. A little bitty toddler—surviving the killing curse! The only mark he has on him is a cut above his left eyebrow!" Sirius taunted, "what kind of leader do you have?"

"SILENCE!" Bellatrix roared.

"Just think about it."

Bellatrix had a small feeling Sirius was telling the truth about Harry Potter. That's when a letter was given to her, pre read of course, by a short man.

"Have fun reading this!" the man called as he walked down the prison hallway, passing out other letters.

_To Bellatrix_

_The Dark Lord disappeared last night after killing James and Lily Potter. He had tried to kill their son, Harry, but failed. This made Harry the first person, or child, to have ever survived the Avada Kedevra curse. This caused his downfall. _

_The Dark Lord is no more._

_(The Dark Mark)_

The letter did not state who it was from but Bellatrix ripped it apart. Should she be the only one who comes back to find him? She spat on the remains of the shredded letter.

"Bellatrix Lestrange, come with me," the stout graying man that had given her the letter said as he unlocked her jail cell.

"Where are you taking me?" Bellatrix demanded immediately.

"It's your trial, don't be so alarmed," the man said coolly.

Once they got outside Azkaban the man grabbed her elbow and they disapparated to a muggle shop. He took her into a bright red muggle telephone booth and picked up the receiver. A voice came over an invisible speaker.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. What is your business?" the voice said casually.

"It is Bellatrix Lestrange's court date today," the man said gruffly.

_If I had my wand I could escape from this filthy man's hands! I tower over him already! Ah! And my Lord! What is he going to do without me? I could be in Azkaban forever! But how could I think that? We will escape! He will get us all out from that disgusting place!_

"Come on," the man yanked her elbow with his tight grip. All Bellatrix could do was follow reluctantly.

They were led through long dark corridors. People were apparating and disapparating everywhere Bellatrix looked. The man halted to a quick stop in front of the door and whispered a password. The door swung open and revealed a large room filled to the ceiling with spectators and jurors.

She was pushed inside. All the eyes were on her. She looked briefly behind her and saw that Crouch Jr. was not that far behind. She looked up at the judge's stand where the Minister of Magic sat and studied the face. Barty Crouch Sr. Bellatrix chuckled.

_This is going to be interesting._

Barty Crouch Sr. began speaking to the jurors with his booming voice. Bellatrix looked around at the spectators and saw Dumbledore staring at her. She looked to the left and saw Rodolphus and Rabastan sitting beside each other with their backs to her. The dementors all came when each was seated and chained their ankles and wrists. Bellatrix straightened her back and looked down her nose at everyone in the room. She would never be looked upon as weak even if she was seated before the Ministry of Magic.

"You have been brought here before the Council of Magical Law," Crouch Sr. announced above the whispering of the spectators, "so that we may pass a judgment on you, for a crime so heinous—"

"Father!" Crouch Jr. shouted. Bellatrix jerked her head in his direction. He began again, "Father…please!"

"—that we have rarely heart the like of it within this court," Crouch continued, overriding his son's voice. "We have evidence against you. The four of you stand accused of capturing an Auror—Frank Longbottom—and subjecting him to the Cruciatus Curse, believing him to have knowledge of the whereabouts of your exiled master, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named—"

Bellatrix laughed to herself at the thought of them not knowing anything about their plans.

"Father, I did not!" Crouch Jr. screamed in his seat. "I didn't, I swear it father! Don't send me back to the dementors!"

Bellatix huffed and shouted at him in her mind. _Traitor! Oh you wait! When the Dark Lord hears of this…_

"You are further accused of using the Cruciatus Curse on Frank Longbottom's wife," Crouch Sr. continued now at a shout. "When he could not give you information. You planned to restore He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to power, and to resume the lives of violence you presumably led while he was strong. I now ask the jury—"

Bellatrix laughed again in her head about how wrong they are. She rocked in her seat, trying to contain her laughter.

"Mother!" Crouch Jr. now screamed at the woman who was sobbing beside Crouch Sr., "Mother, stop him, I didn't do it! It wasn't me!"

"I now ask the jury to raise their right hands if they believe," Crouch Sr. shouted over his son, "as I do, that these crimes deserve a life sentence in Azkaban!"

Every juror's hand in the room raised. The crowd began to clap and jeer. Bellatrix laughed at their faces; they were oblivious to the power her Lord stored in his body, even just in his fingers. Crouch, however, screamed and writhed in his seat.

"No! Mother! No! I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I didn't know! Don't send me there, don't let him!"

The dementors came back into the room. Rodolphus, Rabastan and Crouch Jr stood up. Bellatrix remained seated and screamed with glee, hoping to bring a downfall, even if it was slight, to their own happy plans of a peaceful environment.

"The Dark Lord will rise again, Crouch! Throw us in Azkaban—we will wait! He will rise again and will come for us, he will reward us beyond any of his other supporters! We alone are faithful!" she recalled her and the boy's plan to find him and then the Ministry's thought of what they were doing, "we alone tried to find him!"

Crouch Jr. kicked and ripped at the dementors, trying to escape from them. Their coldness and the powers they had began to drain his willpower. "I am your son!" he howled at his father, "I'm your son!"

Crouch Sr. rose from his seat and bellowed, "You are no son of mine!" His face blued and he shouted, "I have no son!" His wife cried out and then fainted in her seat. Crouch Sr. acted as though he did not notice, "Take them away!" he spat at the dementors, "Take them away and may they rot there!"

"Father! Father, I wasn't involved! No! No! Father, please!" Crouch Jr. feebly continued.

The four were led back out into the hallway and apparated back to Azkaban. Bellatrix was shoved, harder than she thought needed, back into her cell. She could still hear Crouch Jr. struggling and shouting that he was not there. _Liar._ Was all Bellatrix thought.

_**A/N: Direct quotes from 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' are used in Barty Crouch Sr, Jr, and Bellatrix for the trial. Again, I do not own any Harry Potter character, although, most of this story's plot is my own.**_


	19. Chapter 19

_**CHAPTER NINETEEN**_

_**A/N: Any longer and this chapter will be too lengthy…so no complaints! Heh. **__****_

For thirteen years, Bellatrix sat in Azkaban keeping to herself. She thought up ways to assist the Lord. She paced her small 10 x 10 foot cell for hours doing absolutely nothing. She even carried on conversations with herself every once in a while. However they weren't conversational like 'hi, how are you?', they were more like her internal thoughts and then her answering them aloud like '_when Crouch gets out of here, what will the Dark Lord do to him first? Torture him? Just kill him? Abandon him?_ "No, no, that would be too risky! If I were him I think I would Crucio him until he begged to die!'"

But one day in about the summer of 1994, Bellatrix heard Sirius whispering frantically to himself.

"Sirius! What are you doing?" Bellatrix asked to the grey cement wall that separated her and Sirius.

"Don't bother worrying about it! You'll find out in a matter of—," _crash,_ "—seconds," Sirius grunted.

Bellatrix heard a muffled barking laugh, a thud, and then complete silence.

"Sirius? You should not be trying to get into any more trouble! Your mother has enough ridicule on her head already from your birth!" Bellatrix warned, standing closer to the wall.

No clever retort came from Sirius's side.

When the guard came to see what all of the ruckus was, he looked over at Bellatrix because he had heard her voice and began accusing her.

"You helped him! You helped your cousin escape from Azkaban!"

Bellatrix stepped back casually and raised her eyebrows in amusement. "If I helped Sirius, wouldn't I be out of here too? Also, you have to know a little thing or two about me and Sirius. Sirius. Is. Not. Family. He is a worthless piece of garbage in my eyes!"

It dawned on the guard that she was speaking the truth because he had heard stories about the Black family and the various stories that were associated with their surname. Bellatrix saw him break into a sweat, put his hands on his head and shout:

"Prisoner! Escaped! Murderer on the loose! Guards! Ralph! He's gone!" The man panicked and went yelling down the hallway.

Bellatrix stood up swiftly and tried to see what she could through her bars. She pressed herself against them until a bar pressed hard enough to bruise into her sternum. _How in the world did Sirius escape before me? What assistance did he get! How did he even get out? This is ridiculous! I want out too!_

Apparently, the Minister of Magic was called because there he came, strolling down the corridor calmly. His long purple cloak dragged in the dirt, creating a small cloud where ever he went. His walking cane had a gold Gryffindor lion on the handle. He resembled the picture-perfect man of modern royalty.

When he and another man began discussing Sirius, Bellatrix strained to hear what she could.

"Who escaped?" asked the Minister smoothly.

"Sirius Black sir," a tall black haired man replied. Nervous sweat plastered his hair to his reddened face.

"How? This place has never been broken out of before," the Minister said.

"I know sir. It seems that he, being from the Dark Lord's side…"

Bellatrix howled with anger and irritation, "the Dark Lord's side? THAT blood-traitor? You are filled with such ignorance! We would never disgrace ourselves with such a presence! Fools!" she heaved for breath because of her now sickly state from the dirt, dust, and thick air that accompanied the prison.

The man leaned towards the Minister and whispered something. The Minister nodded shortly, catching Bellatrix's eyes.

"…He convinced one of our dementors of a promise and it bent the bars for him," the man continued as if he heard nothing, "I know it is a bit of a stretch, but Gunther here," the man pointed directly behind him to a grey-haired man slumped into the bars, "said he seen the whole thing!"

"Ah," the Minister nodded again. "So tell me, why do we have this dementor roving the halls of this prison if he is so effortlessly swayed?" the Minister asked, raising an eyebrow.

The man nodded as though he clearly anticipated the question, "we got rid of him immediately. He was exterminated by Rufus right after Black's flight," he smiled pompously.

"Can we trust that the other dementors are safe to keep around?"

"Of course, sir! All of the others are in fine health," assured the man.

"What about Sirius Black? He was the secret keeper to the Potters but he sold them to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named so easily. He must be mentally ill. Did he seem that way? What about his looks?" the Minister inquired suspiciously.

"Sirius…he seemed to be okay. If I did not know he was a Black or a murderer, I would have never guessed he would kill someone. That is just the way he spoke to me. Now, his face is hollowed out and his body is weaker than when he was put in here. His hair is long, shaggy and greasy. I guess he looks like he would be a psycho," the man pinched his lips. He opened his mouth to speak again but closed it.

"I see," said the Minister, thinking.

"What are we going to do now about Black's escape?" the man asked worriedly.

"Well, we know his motive is to find the boy," the Minister rubbed his whiskered chin.

"The boy?" the man asked with confusion.

""Harry Potter, Wesley, he is in his third year of Hogwarts, which means he can go to Hogsmeade," the Minister said uneasily.

"Harry Potter," breathed Wesley.

"Yes, and we have advised Albus Dumbledore that he not allow Mr. Potter his trips; stating clearly, though, that the boy is not to find out about Black."

"So the boy lives? Sirius speaks the truth! Go figure!" Bellatrix screeched with laughter at her own private joke, ending up wheezing and coughing.

"Quiet! Shut your mad mouth!" shushed the Minister. "This is none of your business!"

"You should learn to speak well to those of greater power than you!" Bellatrix snapped back.

The Minister laughed mockingly, "you? Greater than me? I'd never so much as spit in your direction! When you get out of Azkaban, you let me know how your 'greater power' goes," the Minister jeered.

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed, flashing with fury, "you'll see! Just you wait, you greasy piece of rubbish, the Dark Lord will ascend! He will penetrate everything you think is safe now, and he will destroy this mud-blood accepting government from its foundation!" Bellatrix said in a low hiss.

"You speak wildly! Get away from my sight!" the Minister said, finalizing the end to the exchange of words. "I am going to go back to my office to find ways to capture Mr. Sirius Black."

"Remember, Minister, remember what I said!" Bellatrix called behind him.

"Bah!" the Minister responded, waving the back of his hand in the air.

Bellatrix sat in the center of her cell with her legs and arms crossed. Her frustration grew with each passing thought about how Sirius escaped before her. She wondered if the other dementors could be moved so easily like the one Sirius had to himself. She thought again about how cold and intimidating the dementors were and how she would never be able to bring up such a touchy subject to these creatures. _How did he do it? He must not have used a dementor._

"But if he did not have a dementor, then how did he get the bars loose in his cell? Well, I guess this building is over three hundred years old…" Bellatrix trailed away as she spoke aloud to herself.


	20. Chapter 20

_**CHAPTER TWENTY**_

Bellatrix Lestrange sat on the dirty floor of her cell, looking straight ahead into the cement wall. She had her lips pursed as she listened to the door unlatch as the dementor entered. For the past fifteen months, Bellatrix trained herself not to listen to voices that echoed in her head every time the 'happiness' was sucked from her body. Her teeth clenched as the dementor sucked in her memories. Her thoughts raced with each one that passed the back of her eyes and disappeared into the dementor's hungry mouth. She closed her eyes and tried to block them out. Occlumency never worked on the dementors. She knew that the only thing that could stop them had to be used with the one thing she was forbidden to have—her wand. The thoughts of her mother telling her she was receiving lessons from the Dark Lord passed into the mouth of her dementor. When it seemed it was done feasting on her precious thoughts, it floated from the cell room and the door clanked shut and locked behind it.

That same day, the typical mail man handed Bellatrix a letter and told her that he was going to keep an eye on her from that point on. When she opened it, it only had two words scribbled across the parchment. Bellatrix understood what they meant perfectly.

_Its Time._

Four cells away Rabastan's hoarse voice calls to her, "time for what exactly?"

Bellatrix throws her head back and laughs. Her laughs ring through the hallways, silencing anyone who is chatting so they can listen to the wild amusement coming from cell 386.

It had been forever since Bellatrix had experienced any kind of joy. Her new bony, skeletal face had paled which made her eyes appear as though they could just pop out of her head with a small hit to the back of her head. Her once shiny, black, coarse hair had dulled and grayed over the miserable time in Azkaban.

Her hands clenched the parchment tight, crinkling it. She wondered how the Lord was planning on letting her free of this nightmarish place. No matter how much those filthy dementors dug, they would never reach pit of where the hope of her own escape sat.

Her cell door clunked again and Bellatrix's head shot in the direction. When she thought the dementor was back, she was mistaken. The door swung open revealing nothing but the hallway. She sat in her spot until she knew no one was there to make the door to freedom a trap. She stood up slowly and walked over to the door as sneakily as she could. Her heeled boots thumped against the floor traitorously. Her head peered over into the hall. It was dead empty. She jumped back when she saw the face of Rodolphus poking out from his cell all the way down the hall.

Rodolphus's face was more hollowed than what she remembered. His cheekbones stuck out from his face and his eyes had dark purple bags hanging below them. He looked sad, unhappy, and lonely.

Bellatrix stepped a cautious foot into the corridor, testing the escape. She found no danger and her whole body left her cell. She looked to her left and then to her right and strode down the hallway. She walked all the way to the end and turned around to see all of her Cruciatus Curse companions, excluding Crouch Jr. since he had passed away two years before, and then a few other Death Eaters that had been thrown into the prison after her offense. A small smiled curled on her lips and she turned around to push the door open into the next room fearlessly.

A man sat on the floor crumpled and his friend shook horribly; each had a dementor hunched over them sucking from their bodies. They called for help but Bellatrix did not bother, she just stepped over them and pulled the next door to freedom open. The other Death Eaters were still in the doorway. She tuned around and faced them from across the room.

"Follow me," she said.

"Bellatrix, this could be a set-up. You have to use your head for this," protested an unknown Death Eater.

"Don't you try and tell me….Look, their wands are sitting right on the desk, they can't do anything to protect themselves. Now, you tell me—would the Ministry sacrifice their own kind just to test us? We are waste in the eyes of these pigs," hissed Bellatrix venomously.

Rabastan and another Death Eater had already made their way across the room to stand by Bellatrix before the other had protested again.

"What if the Lord is freeing us? Are you going to sit here and deny a chance to leave?" Bellatrix did not even bother to wait for an answer. She turned and yanked the door to the outside world open.

The cold arctic air flushed into her bones sending a shiver down her spine. She saw trees and grass blowing in the wind. Water crashed on the spire-infested shore. Rocks lined the island creating a gravely beach. A man concealed in a long black cloak stood in the grass a ways away. Bellatrix walked towards him, keeping her regal manner with her. Her back was straight and her nose was pointed up.

"It took you all a while to get out," the man drawled with his head down.

"We just had a few issues to settle before we exited," Bellatrix matched his cold tone exactly.

The man's hands appeared from his pockets. Bellatrix drew back immediately knowing she was very vulnerable without her wand. His hand held her wand and the others up. She lunged for them and grasped hers lovingly. A walnut and dragon heartstring core, 12 & 3/4 inches long, unyielding strength wand sat proudly in her palm. She swished it in the air letting green and silver sparks fly from its tip. She let herself smile broadly.

"Who are you?" Her eyes narrowed when she pocketed her wand.

The man lifted his head to meet her eyes with his. His eyes glowed a brilliant red and they blinked in the light.

"Take this stone; it has been turned into a temporary port-key. I want you to remain at the place this port-key will take you because that will be the last place the authorities will look for you. I will be letting the Imperio Curse go immediately when you leave," Voldemort informed her.

Bellatrix's heart felt like it melted. She did not dare let the Dark Lord see her face so she looked away towards the sea. She had begun to shiver from the crisp, cold air.

"You had the dementors free us?" Rabastan piped up, breaking the silence.

"Of course he did, you should know that dementors naturally lean to the evil side of things, Rabastan," Rodolphus said patiently to his brother.

"Oh yeah," Rabastan concurred rubbing the scruffle on his chin.

"Take the key!" demanded Voldemort anxiously.

Each of the Death Eaters placed a dirty hand on the small and smooth stone. Their bodies swirled and they fell to the ground out of the sky in front of a ramshackle home. Bellatrix jumped up immediately and brushed the dead grass from her velvet dress and used her wand to magically change her attire into something much cleaner and fresh before any of the Death Eaters had come to their senses. She straightened her hair and pulled it back into a loose bun on top of her head. She felt much better now that she had 'freshened up.'

About ten minutes later, a bright white hazy falcon perched itself on the back of an antique chair in the dining area where everybody had congregated. Its beak opened really wide and a voice boomed from it, contrasting a lot from the small size of the bird.

"WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. BUT WHEN WE DO, BEWARE! WE WILL FIND YOU! YOU WILL BE THROWN BACK IN AZKABAN WHERE YOU BELONG! WE WILL LOCATE YOU! YOU CANNOT HIDE FOREVER, YOU FEROCIOUS BLOOD-THIRSTY DEATH EATERS!"

A small witch shivered as the falcon vanished. "You don't think they can find us here, do you?" she asked in a small voice.

Bellatrix frowned.

"Certainly not. We don't even know where we are. We could be in Albania, Slovakia—anywhere!" another Death Eater said assuring her.

"But if they can send a Patronus, they can send spies right?" the witch asked again nervously.

The Death Eater chuckled softly, "no, no. The Patronus just finds people. It cannot spy, tell the other side where we are or where it found us. Nothing like that." He spoke calmly.

Rodolphus twirled his wand in his hand. He looked up curiously and met eyes with Bellatrix's. "It has been forever since I have seen you, my wife," he whispered to her.

"Rodolphus, I know. But I have to tell you, my love is for the Dark Lord, you are just the man I was forced to marry by my parents." Her words were cold, stinging him with dark venom. She had little compassion for him after sixteen years of not seeing him and pondering more about the Dark Lord.

Rodolphus choked for a second and then restarted his sentence, "Bellatrix, I am your husband. We have been married for over twenty five years. I know you have some love for me somewhere in your body." His face twitched with hurt.

"Not now," her attention diverted to the door that had blown open revealing her master.

"Quiet! The Ministry of Disgust has no idea where you are, do not give anyone reason to peek inside this dump otherwise you will be seen! More Death Eaters may arrive so stay alert. Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan, please come with me," the Dark Lord hissed, swirling back into the outside.

They obeyed and followed their master out the door and they huddled in the front.

"Remember the prophesy from many years ago?" Voldemort asked in a low voice.

The three nodded at the ground.

"Harry Potter can see into my mind. He knows I want to crush the prophesy."

"Why do you want to crush it?" Rabastan asked dumbly.

"Because," Voldemort said tolerantly, "If we could possibly smash it, we could end the prophesy. Maybe it would disappear. I want it very bad."

Bellatrix, at that very moment, became very intent on retrieving the crystal ball for him. "Where can we find the prophesy?" Bellatrix asked sharply.

"In the Department of Mysteries; it's in the southern wing." Voldemort replied coolly.

"Can we get in? What extremes do we have to do to get into the Department?" Rodolphus asked apprehensively.

"Oh we can get in. It can be done," was all Voldemort answered. His nose-slits opened and closed rapidly.

Rabastan grinned. "You know what this means? Another trip for us to go on together—except without ol' Barty."

Bellatrix and Rodolphus looked wondrously at Rabastan. Bellatrix used her Legilimency to scan Rabastan's mind. She found that this stupid man was really thinking the childish thoughts he spoke aloud.

"Go back into the house. I want you to not speak of this at all with anyone else. When the time comes, I will owl each person with instructions on what to do and where to go." Voldemort smiled wickedly. "This will be the start of my next war."

Bellatrix smiled back. "My Lord," she cooed, "we will change the world. We will change everything about the way these ignorant wizards and witches think!"

"We will."


	21. Chapter 21

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**_

The little cottage the Death Eaters stayed at looked small and broken down on the outside. On the inside, however, it was large enough to house each one comfortably. It was still dusty and old from no one living in it for such a long period of time. Bellatrix managed to straighten out her and Rodolphus's room nicely without the help anyone. She dusted, swept, and even made the bed. She kept the door closed every time she was going to tidy just so she could protect her regal dignity.

One afternoon while Bellatrix was sweeping the floor magically, she accidentally swished her wand in the wrong direction, causing a leg of her bedside table to smash into splinters. She swore loudly at her mistake. Without any hesitation, the little witch that Bellatrix had observed nagging all of the house-mates came in, swinging the door nearly off of its hinges.

"Are you okay? I heard a crash and I just thought that maybe…" the witch spoke faster than Bellatrix could keep up.

She stared at the skinny little woman skeptically before coldly saying, "I have it under control. If I needed any of your assistance I would call for it. If you come into my room again uninvited, I will have to punish you." Each word she said was crisp and spoken with bitter lips.

The petite witch cringed a little and nodded apologetically like a school-age child. "I am sorry Mrs. Lestrange. I really should have knocked. I just wanted to see if you were hurt in any way."

"Get out of my bedroom." Bellatrix's hard expression did not change. Her stiff tone made the woman turn and leave without saying anything further—being afraid that Bellatrix would hex her into the next year.

A few hours later that day, Bellatrix made a beeline for the downstairs to greet her sister who was just coming in through the front doors.

"Bellatrix!" Narcissa Malfoy exclaimed embracing Bellatrix in a tight hug, "Oh, how good it is to see you once again!"

"And you, dear sister!" Bellatrix smiled, allowing the hug. She studied her sister; her long blonde hair was waist length. Her lips were forever pursed. Narcissa's face had grown slightly plump and her blue eyes could not get any more electric. It was strange, but she looked very similar to her husband, Lucius Malfoy. If they did not always have their son between their bodies, they would look like siblings. The only thing that made Bellatrix and Narcissa look like they were even halfway related was the strong facial features they shared.

"Lucius and I married while you were in the middle of your 1st year at Azkaban and I had Draco around the same time," Narcissa smiled as she spoke of her family, "Yes, I married nice and round. I was very disappointed that you could not come to my wedding, Bellatrix. You were missed greatly. Other than that, things around the Malfoy house have been pretty ho-hum. Nothing much there is to talk about." Her voice trailed off. Narcissa looked down at her apprehensive son. He seemed very bothered at being in a room filled with Death Eaters.

"You must be so proud," Bellatrix said placidly. She eyed Draco carefully down her nose.

"Yes, he is so bright and…" Narcissa began, smiling again.

"No, Narcissa, I mean that you have such a pure son whom is very keen and ready to grasp his life of serving the Dark Lord so young. Just like me," Bellatrix corrected calmly.

Narcissa stiffened, her smile faded and she looked at Draco and then to Bellatrix. "I don't know if he will stay…he could get seriously hurt, Bellatrix."

"What a fine boy. Don't you see?" Bellatrix pinched the boy's chin and lifted it so he was unwilling looking into her eyes, ignoring her sister's comments. She towered over Narcissa's son greatly.

_He's pureblood, he's in Slytherin, and he is great at the Dark Arts. I could teach him myself! First I would teach him what he needs to know very well being a great servant of my lord—Occlumency and Legilimency! He reminds me of me! Only I, by my FOURTH year, was in the Death Eaters and already Master's favorite. I could tell. And this boy, he isn't even completely in the band! But he will suffice. What a—_

"Bellatrix, I want to let him experience his teenage years free—"

"Narcissa! It won't be much longer! How old are you boy?" Bellatrix asked harshly, growing irritated with Narcissa's reluctance.

"Fifteen," Draco said dryly, looking at the floor.

"Look up when you speak to your aunt!" Bellatrix ordered.

Draco looked up and over Bellatrix's shoulders, determined not to make eye contact with the daunting and intimidating woman. "I'm fifteen. I'm in my fifth year at Hogwarts."

Bellatrix frowned. "You go to school with the Potter boy?"

"Yes."

"Look _up_!"

Draco looked again over his aunt's shoulders. "Yes I do." His lips curled into a slight sneer.

"Why are you giving me that look on your face?" Bellatrix's voice rised.

"What do you say we go and eat perhaps?" Narcissa interjected nervously.

Draco let his shoulders drop.

Bellatrix grumbled and strode from the room ahead of her nephew and sister towards the dining room.

She enthusiastically took a seat halfway down the table from her Master's chair because it was the closest she could get to him with all of the other seats filled.

"How nice of you all to come to me. Most of my servants are here…just a few are off. Nothing to worry about." Lord Voldemort said smoothly, observing the long table of people.

Bellatrix watched her Master with eager eyes as he stroked the green head of his pet snake, Nagini.

"I assume all of you received your letters? Some of you will not be attending my—get together—but I just wanted to inform you of plans so you would not get behind. Draco, your first meeting is it?" Voldemorts eyes flicked to the blonde-haired boy who shifted nervously in his seat.

"Yes." His voice was barely audible in the quiet room.

"I'm glad to have you here, boy." Voldemort's voice carried in the air for a few seconds before he continued again. "So the Death Eaters, a total of thirteen, that are going to show at the location given are..." Voldemort cleared his throat and looked at the parchment that rested on the table before him. His high, chilling voice listed off the names, "Bella, Rodolphus, Rabastan, Lucius, Mulciber, Dolohov, Nott, Jugson, Avery, Crabbe, Rookwood, Macnair, and Mulciber, each of you will be at our meeting position and _you will retrieve my prophesy._"

Rabastan raised his hand into the air.

Voldemort sighed wearily. "Yes Rabastan?"

"Well, I was just uh, wondering, what is a prophesy?" Rabastan gulped and looked at the rest of his fellow allies.

"It will look like a crystal ball. I will tell you what row and such later. Rabastan, don't hurt your brain thinking about it too hard."

Awkward uncomfortable laughter filled the silence. Rabastan scowled.

Nagini curled around the back of Voldemort's chair and up his left arm. Draco watched the snake with mild fascination.

"So get the prophesy for you and then what?" Bellatrix inquired, wondering what all she had to do to satisfy her Lord.

"You may not get the prophesy yourself. Potter must pick it up because it involves him and me. It would be impossible for me to get into the Ministry of Magic—well, it could be done, but I cannot do such a thing so soon. Anyways, I cannot get the prophesy, Potter must and you will retrieve it and bring it to me once you have completed the mission. You may not harm the prophesy or Potter in any way until it is in my hands. Does every one in this room seated before me understand?" Voldemort surveyed the dark room and looked into each servant's evil eyes.

"Of course I do, Master. I will not let you down!" Bellatrix cried, pounding her fists onto the table.

"Aye," Macnair agreed.

The rest of the Death Eaters nodded their reply.


	22. Chapter 22

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**_

_**A/N: This is the longest chapter so far. Be prepared and have a lot of time on your hands for this. Its 11 pages on my Word. Its intense though…**_

It was pitch black in the giant room. The only thing that any of the thirteen Death Eaters could see was the light coming from the blue-flamed candles that glinted off of the millions of crystal balls. It did not light up the room; each one just glittered dimly around them.

Voldemort had cast a group protection spell to prevent Harry from even coming close to seeing them unless one of them advanced upon him or made any kind of movement to get them noticed.

Some one beside Bellatrix shifted uneasily. Bellatrix nudged him, making sure he remembered the strict orders not to make any sign of movement whatsoever until the time was right.

Voldemort told the group that he had planted the dreams and the route perfectly in Harry Potter's mind. He said before he left that it would not be long before Harry would arrive in the chamber and collect the prophesy. In the meantime, the group stood in the shadows behind Row 97 of crystal balls waiting for the 'Boy Who Lived' to arrive.

Bellatrix wanted so desperately to give this boy a piece of her mind for thinking _he_ of all people, _he_ the son of the arrogant blood-traitor James Potter, _he_ a half-blood teenager, could defeat _her_ Master, _her_ Lord, and the only person she thrives to see.

Faint shouting and thumping footsteps could be heard now. Bellatrix jerked her head to the left, where it was coming from.

The doors to the room flew open, filling the room with a new light before darkening at the close once more. The voices had become much more audible now. Harry seemed to be with two other boys, a brown haired one and a red-haired one. He also was accompanied by three girls, one with brown hair like the first boy, one with red hair like the second boy, and one with long, silvery blonde hair that was much like Narcissa's.

They outnumbered the group of six by over two to one.

Harry walked past the group who was still completely invisible. "I-I don't think Sirius is here," Harry said to the others he was with.

"Harry?" a red-haired boy a ways away called.

"What?" Harry heatedly asked. He walked back to the row the Death Eaters were standing in front of. Harry Potter stood directly in front of a group of his worst enemy's servants who were waiting to get him.

"Have you seen this?" the red-haired boy asked Harry.

"What?" Harry asked again. Harry looked at the boy and repeated once more, "what?"

"It-its got your name on."

"My name?"

"What is it?" The red-haired boy asked him nervously, "What's your name doing down here?" The two boys stared fixedly at the sphere. "I'm not here. None of the rest of us are here." The red-haired boy said to Harry, somewhat confused.

"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," the brown-haired girl said stridently as Harry reached out.

"Why not? Its something to do with me isn't it?" Harry said flatly back to her.

"Don't Harry!" The other brown-haired boy said suddenly.

Harry ignored his friends and lifted the sphere from its sitting place. He brushed off the dust slowly and his friends curiously leaned in.

Lucius Malfoy, from beside Bellatrix, stepped forward, breaking the charm Voldemort had created. "Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

Bellatrix pulled down her Death Eater mask along with all of her other allies and stepped up to Lucius's side. She and her allies lit their wands so that Harry Potter and company could see them and know they meant danger.

"To me, Potter," Lucius repeated coldly. He held out his hand towards the globe. "To me," Lucius repeated again.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry Potter spoke up, still clutching the sphere.

The Death Eaters laughed and Bellatrix could not help herself, "the Lord always knows!" she said victoriously.

"Always," Lucius concurred. "Now, give me the prophesy, Potter!" Lucius demanded harshly.

"I want to know where Sirius is!" Potter countered.

Bellatrix sneered. "I want to know where Sirius is!" Bellatrix copied in a high-pitched whining voice.

"You've got him! He's here. I know he is!" Harry said with a very small hint of fear.

"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twooo," Bellatrix mocked, leaning into Harry's direction.

"Don't do anything, not yet," Harry said lowly to his followers.

Bellatrix screamed out with her laughter. _HE?! GIVING INSTRUCTIONS?! _"You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks he's fighting us!" Bellatrix howled with laughter again.

"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix. He has a great weakness for heroics. The Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophesy Potter!" Lucius hissed.

"I know Sirius is here! I know you've got him!" Harry said, swallowing loudly.

Bellatrix laughed obnoxiously again and the other Death Eaters followed en suite.

"Its time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter." Lucius drawled with mild satisfaction in his tone. "Now give me the prophesy or we start using wands."

"Go on then!" Harry spat. He and his group each lifted their wands up. The Death Eaters had already had their wands out, but were using the Lumos charm.

They did not attack yet. The time was still not right.

"Hand over the prophesy and no one need get hurt," Lucius said severely.

"Yeah right! I give you this—prophesy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?" Harry Potter laughed at the group.

Bellatrix began to feel like he thought he was more great than they—she—was. She cut off her light charm and screamed, "Accio Prophe—"

"Protego!" Harry shouted, quicker than she did. She was immediately silenced.

She found her voice just as quickly as she lost it. Feeling challenged, she said, "Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter." Her eyes narrowed. "Very well then—"

"I TOLD YOU NO!" Lucius bellowed at Bellatrix. "If you smash it—"

Bellatrix knew how to play games and get her way. She stepped towards Harry and she pushed her cloak's hood back and venomously asked, "You need more persuasion? Very well. Take the smallest one," Bellatrix ordered to Nott. "Let him watch as we torture the littlest girl. Ill do it." Bellatrix knew that they had a vague idea of who she was, so if she tortured the girl, it would mean more pain for their young, vulnerable minds.

"You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us!" Harry said triumphantly. "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it will he?"

Bellatrix licked her smiling lips and glared at him with her big, protruding eyes.

"So, what kind of prophesy are we talking about anyways?" Harry played.

"What kind of prophesy?" Her eyes narrowed and her face darkened considerably. "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting. So how come Voldemort wants it?" Harry asked semi-innocently.

Bellatrix's body froze at her Master's name. "You dare speak his name?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I've got no problem saying Vold—"

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shouted. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue! You dare!"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" The teenagers behind him shivered at Harry Potter's bravery. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a muggle…Or has he been telling you lot that he's a pureblood?" Harry asked, looking at each Death Eater.

Bellatrix trembled with fury, forgetting every rule she was told, "STUPEF—"

"NO!" Lucius yelled, deflecting Bellatrix's spell. It hit another shelf, causing the orbs it was holding to smash to the floor. Voices and white shadows floated like ghosts up to the ceiling, making their predictions for the future.

"DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHESY!" Lucius screamed at the advancing Death Eaters.

"He dared! He said it! Half-blood! Filthy!" Bellatrix screeched out fragments of her internal thoughts.

"Wait until we've got the prophesy!" Lucius commanded to the group.

"You have not told me what's so special about this prophesy I'm supposed to be handing over." Harry smiled slightly and looked at his friends.

"Do not play games with us, Potter." Lucius drawled.

"I'm not playing games."

"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar is hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" Lucius asked, almost bewildered.

"I—what? What about my scar?" Harry said dumbly. His free hand rubbed it for a split second before he refocused.

Bellatrix grinned and Lucius, who had became very pleased, said, "Can this be? Dumbledore never told you? Well this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter. The Dark Lord wondered why you did not come running when he showed you the place in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording." Lucius paused to hear Potter's reaction.

"Did he? So he wanted me to come get it did he? Why?"

"Why?" Lucius laughed into his question. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophesy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made—as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use the others to steal it for him."

"And why did he want to steal a prophesy about me?" Harry asked with a confused look.

"About both of you, Potter, about both of you. Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?" Lucius asked, still very amused.

Harry looked into Lucius's eyes for the first time. His wondrous look made Lucius's smile broader.

"Someone made a prophesy about Voldemort and me?" Bellatrix resisted her mind with all the will power she had. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?" Harry Potter asked, quite mystified. _**(No pun intended)**_

Bellatix screeched a laugh again and paused to say, "Get it himself? The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, revealing himself to the Aurors, when at the moment, they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?" Bellatrix shrieked with laughter.

"So he's got you doing his dirty work for him has he? Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it…and Bode?"

Lucius continued to smile as he replied to Harry Potter's slow comprehension, "Very good Potter, very good. But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell—"

"NOW!" Harry shouted, interrupting Lucius.

All of Harry's friends shouted "Reducto!" at the same time towards different shelves. The shelves they hit gave way to the spells and let themselves fall to the floor, smashing globes onto the floor. The silvery ghosts rose from their resting places, filling the hall with echoes and white clouds.

"RUN!" Harry shouted before he and his associates disappeared into the dark. The Death Eaters tried to follow them as closely as possible.

The brown-haired girl shot a curse at them and hit Nott in his left leg, making him fall to the ground. This distracted a few Death Eaters which allowed Harry to seal a door in front of them. Lucius turned around to face the group of Death Eaters and shouted orders.

"Leave Nott! Leave him, I say! The Dark Lord will not care for Nott's injuries as much as losing that prophesy! Jugson! Come back here! We need to organize!" Lucius brushed his hair over his shoulders and motioned to each of the Death Eaters. "We'll split into pairs and search. And don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophesy—you can kill the others if necessary. Bellatrix, Rodolphus: you take the left! Crabbe, Rabastan: go right! Jugson, Dolohov: the door straight ahead! Mancnair and Avery: through here!" He gestured to a door beside the one straight ahead. "Rookwood, over there!" He motioned to anther door on the opposite side of the first one. "Mulciber! Come with me!"

The groups disengaged rapidly. Bellatrix and Rodolphus ran into the left hallway and around a corner.

Bellatrix and Rodolphus ran down that hallway and almost immediately ran into Rookwood.

"You were supposed to be over there!" Rodolphus shouted at him while motioning back to the positioning area.

"I know, this is where the door led me. I heard footsteps so I ran to them." He panted for a second. "I found you two. C'mon, there were voices coming from a door just behind me." Rookwood turned and sprinted off with Bellatrix and Rodolphus just on his heels.

Bellatrix got her wand situated out in front of her for perfect spell timing. Her adrenaline kept her running without any problems.

Bellatrix heard the yells and passed Rookwood as he slowed down for more air. She threw open the door and entered the new hall. She instantly spotted Harry and his group in the center. One seemed to have a girl swung over his shoulder.

"Stupefy! Stupefy!" She screamed at Harry Potter's friends. Each one of her aimless spells missed and hit other orbs. The group had already made it into the next hall, sealing it behind them. She and the two men slammed themselves into the door, hoping to budge it open.

"It doesn't matter!" Rodolphus growled. He looked quickly from Bellatrix to Rookwood. "There are other ways in!"

Bellatrix smiled at his thinking.

"WE'VE GOT THEM! THEY'RE HERE!" Rodolphus shouted as loud as he could. His veins bulged from his neck. The three began running again and they ran into the other Death Eaters. Without any words exchanged, they tore into the first doorway they found—which was luckily open and unsealed.

They threw themselves through the doorway into the next room where a girl went flying out of their way, falling behind a desk.

"Get Potter!" spat Bellatrix as she ran towards him.

A giggly red-haired boy began to call at Harry Potter, "Hey! Hey! Harry! There are brains in here!" He giggled as he spoke, "Isn't that weird, Harry?"

Bellatrix pushed past the boy and lunged at Harry, missing him.

"Honest, Harry, they're brains!" The boy pointed dumbly at the tank full of green liquid. Brains with long ribbons floated amongst the liquid like blind fish. "Look! Accio Brain!"

This caught Bellatrix's attention. She stopped dead in her tracks, and everyone else in the hall had also done so. Everyone was curious to see how this would result.

The brain flew from the green liquid and soared at the boy. Its tentacles speared out into the air around it, looking threatening and horrible.

The boy rocked on the floor laughing and pointed at the brain that flew across the room to him, "Harry! Look at it!" The brain landed on the boy's chest. "Harry, come and touch it! Bet its weird…."

"Ron NO!" Harry shouted, his direction changed to Ron's. He streaked towards the boy who now had tentacles wrapping his feeble body.

"Harry? Look whats happened! No! No! I don't like it! No! No! STOP!" Ron shouted, trying to patheticly brush the ribbons from his body. He fell over onto his back. The tentacles wrapped over him as he yanked, stronger now.

"Diffindo!" Harry shouted. The spell did not break the bonds. Harry looked worried and frustrated.

Bellatrix turned back to pursue her prey.

"Harry! It will suffocate him!" the red-head girl screamed from the floor before being stunned unconcious.

Bellatrix saw that the brown-haired boy who had once been carrying the brown-haired girl had a raging bloody nose. She smirked at him and his pitiable "STUBEFY's".

Rabastan aimed his own stunning spell at the boy, barely missing him.

Bellatrix raced again towards Harry. He lifted the prophesy above his head as though gloating about his possession. Bellatrix refrained quite reluctantly from trying to Accio it or stun Harry.

When Harry entered the next room, he apparently lost his footing and fell down each step that led down to a pulpit that had a huge stone archway upon it. Harry landed on his back, the prophesy still in hand. By then, the whole room was filled with the remaining Death Eaters who were laughing at the sight of Harry Potter falling down about twenty or thirty stair steps.

Harry stood up quickly and Bellatrix snarled with excite. Dolohov and Rabastan were about ten feet away from the boy and had their wands pointed directly at each of his ears.

"Potter, your race is run," Lucius said coolly as he took off his mask. "Now hand me the prophesy like a good boy."

"Let, Let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" Harry shouted with mere desperation.

Rabastan, Jugson, and Avery laughed.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter. You see, there are ten of us and one of you," Lucius smiled viciously. "Or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you to count?"

"He's dot alone!" shouted the bleeding boy roared. "He's still god be!"

"Neville! No! Go back to Ron!" Harry pleaded.

Neville pointed his wand at each Death Eater shouting, "Stubefy! Stubefy!"

Rabastan made his way to the useless boy and grabbed him. Neville kicked and shouted ineffectively at him.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it?" Lucius snickered. "Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members at our cause. Your death will not come as a great shock!"

Bellatrix's heart jumped with pleasure. "Longbottom? Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy!"

"I DOE YOU HAB!" Neville bellowed. He struggled all the more harder against Rabastan's powerful grip.

"Some one stun him!" Rabastan called, frustrated with Neville.

"No, no, no. No, lets see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents—Unless Potter wants to give us the prophesy—" Bellatrix's smile spread across her face, baring her teeth and all.

"DON'D GIB ID TO DEM!" Neville shouted fiercely. Bellatrix raised her wand and stepped forward eagerly. "DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!"

"Crucio!" Bellatrix hissed gleefully.

Neville's body writhed and he let his feet leave the ground for a moment. Rabastan dropped him with a loud 'thud' and stepped back. The boy's face purpled and his mouth looked like it was as wide as it could get before his lips would split while he screamed.

"That was just a taster!" Bellatrix sneered, flicking her wand away. She faced Harry and brushed hair from her eyes. "Now, Potter, either give us the prophesy or watch your little friend die the hard way."

Before Harry could answer, there was an bang as two doors above all of the Death Eaters flew open. Sirius, Remus Lupin, Moody, Nymphadora (Andromeda Black-Tonks's daughter), and Kingsley marched into the room like they owned the place.

Bellatrix let out a high shriek of laughter and turned away from Harry. Spells flew from every direction onto the Death Eaters and the members of the Order. Bellatrix engaged in a duel with Nymphadora.

"Nymphadora! Daughter of my sister! You will be done for when I leave this place today!" Bellatrix cackled, following her comment with frightening incantations.

Nymphadora grunted and shot a body-bind spell at her. It missed by about a whole foot.

Bellatrix laughed and nailed her in the stomach with a red jet of light. She bounded back down the steps, adrenaline still flowing amazingly strong through her lean body.

When she reached the bottom of the steps and jumped up on the dais, she met her cousin, Sirius Orion Black.

"Bellatrix, my dear loving cousin!" Sirius jeered.

Bellatrix curled her thin lips into a broad smile.

Sirius dodged Bellatrix's stunning spell and shot a spell at her which she deflected with ease. Her blocking spells were very close to perfect, but her aim was slightly off. She sent a Crucio in his direction, which he—amazingly—repelled also.

Bellatrix pounced at him and cast another stunning spell which she knew she would miss since she had just moved as she mouthed the spell. It was off by about half a foot.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" Sirius heckled.

When he spoke, Bellatrix took complete advantage of the slight distraction he caused himself by casting the one curse she wanted to use most to end his mocking.

"Avada Kedevra!" Bellatrix hissed, hitting him directly in the chest.

His laughter faded and he fell backwards. Sirius fell through the veil that the arch they dueled beside held. Bellatrix bowed over with a scream of laughter, clutching her sides.

She had just killed her blood-traitor cousin. Wouldn't her Lord be proud?

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!" Harry Potter screamed at the veil.

Bellatrix, still triumphant, turned around and ran to the right side wall. She streaked up the steps and passed Albus Dumbledore who seemed to have been there a while judging form the other Death Eaters who were helplessly attached to the ground.

Dumbledore shot a purple spell at her.

With great ease, Bellatrix deflected his spell and ran out the door. Bellatrix, now being closely followed by someone, ran into the Brain room.

"Diffindo!" she hissed. The Brain tank exploded and the liquid and brains went everywhere, spilling on the floor right in her wake.

She ran into another room that had lifts all around it. She climbed into the one directly in front of her and pressed the 'up' button. It clambered up into the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.

She dashed through the giant hallway and came close to the exit. When she looked over her shoulder she found that the person who was following her was Harry Potter. She shot a spell at him, which was, like her others, off slightly. Harry jumped behind a statue in the center of the Atrium. She stopped and turned fully around to retrieve her Master's prophesy.

"Come out, come out, little Harry!" She called in her mocking voice. She smiled at his coward behavior. "What did you come after me for, then? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!" Her voice was deathly sarcastic.

"I am!" Harry called from his hiding place.

Bellatrix chuckled evilly, "Did you love him, little baby Potter?"

From just in front of her, Harry shouted, "Crucio!"

The pain felt like a needle that was jabbed into her arm where the spell hit. She let out a screech of pain and fell back, not laughing anymore. She, however, did not feel any more pain than that which alerted her immediately that this was a first-time use. She stood up again and cast a spell at the statue of a wizard. Its head blew off magnificently and exploded in the air, showering the hall with pieces of cement.

"Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you boy?" she called to him. Her voice echoed in the Atrium. "You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain—to enjoy it—righteous anger wont hurt me for long! I'll show you how its done, shall I? I'll give you a lesson!" screamed Bellatrix ferociously. She began shouting her incantation spells without thought in his general direction. Some were Crucio's and some were Stupefy's.

"Potter! I am going to give you one chance! Give me the prophesy. Roll it out to me now and I may spare your life!" Bellatrix threatened to the room. Her eyes were fiery and her expression as a whole was livid. Her fanatical glow radiated from her body, making her wand sparkle with red at the tip.

"Well, then you are going to have to kill me, because it's gone!" Harry paused for a second before continuing, "And he knows! Your dear old mate Voldemort knows it's gone! He's not going to be happy with you, is he?"

Bellatrix's mind raced, _Gone?_ "What? What do you mean?" she demanded again to the room, her voice wavered just scarcely.

"The prophesy smashed when I was trying to get Neville up the steps! What do you think Voldemort'll say about that, then?" Harry's voice echoed in the chamber.

"LIAR! YOU'VE GOT IT POTTER!" her voice rebounded off of the stone walls and her fright was just as prominent as her rage. "AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME! Accio Prophesy! ACCIO PROPHESY!" She now, without any remorse, began to send killing curses wherever she heard even the slightest echo of Harry's voice. He laughed at her, irritating her even more than she already was.

"Nothing there! Nothing there to summon! It smashed and nobody heard what it said! Tell your boss that!" Harry's voice boomed out again.

"No! It isn't true! Your lying!" Bellatrix panicked, afraid she failed her master. "MASTER! I TRIED! I TRIED! DO NOT PUNISH ME!"

"Don't waste your breath!" Harry called to her. "He can't hear you from here!"

"Can't I, Potter?" the cold voice of the Dark Lord silenced the hall at once.


	23. Chapter 23

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**_

"So, you smashed my prophesy?" His voice was terrible and furious. "No, Bella, he is not lying. I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind," Voldemort snorted with anger. "Months of preparation, months of effort! And my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again!"

"Master! I am sorry, I knew not! I was fighting the Animagus Black! Master you should know—" Bellatrix Lestrange was sobbing at Voldemort's feet.

"Be quiet Bella. I shall deal with you in a moment. Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your sniveling apologies?" Voldemort asked angrily, his flashing dangerous red eyes glared down at her.

"But Master! He is here! He is below—"

Voldemort brushed her off. His eyes flicked over to Harry Potter who was still crouching behind a statue of an elf. "I have nothing more to say to you, Potter. You have irked me too often, for too long. AVADA KEDAVRA!" As Voldemort shouted his words to the boy, a statue of a wizard who was missing his head from an earlier attack jumped down and flung itself over to cover Harry from the Killing Curse. The Curse rebounded from his metal body and dissipated on the floor.

Voldemort looked around, completely confused. "What? Dumbledore!" His voice hardened with perceptible surprise.

Dumbledore disappeared right before their eyes and then reappeared behind the Dark Lord. He waved his wand and all of the statues, headless or not, came to life and defended Dumbledore and Harry Potter. A witch statue bounded with great speed towards Bellatrix.

Bellatrix stopped her observing Dumbledore and ran away from the witch. She looked over her shoulder and saw it gaining on her and Bellatrix shot unknown spells at the witch. Bellatrix shrieked when she found that they uselessly bounced off of the witch's chest. The witch jumped into the air and landed powerfully on top of Bellatrix. Bellatrix was pinned on her back with her arms held at the wrists and the witch's knees dug into her thighs. When the fingertips of both hands and the toes of both feet of the stone witch made contact with the floor simultaneously, they magically attached to it. Then the witch froze in that position.

Dumbledore spoke first, "It is foolish to come here tonight, Tom. The Aurors are on their way."

"By the time which I shall be gone and you dead!" Voldemort hissed nastily. He let a Killing Curse fly from the tip of his wand. It missed and hit a security guard's desk—which burst into blinding flames. Bellatrix cried out.

Dumbledore cast his own spell at Voldemort. It was silver, beautiful, and powerful.

With a great effortless flick, Voldemort sent a shield that was also silver and shining out to protect him. A loud boom echoed from the Atrium's walls when the two spells met.

Bellatrix cackled with what breath she could gather under the heavy weight of the stone statue.

"You do not seek to kill me, Dumbledore? Above such brutality are you?" Voldemort spat at Dumbledore.

"We both know that there are other ways of destroying a man, Tom." Dumbledore talked tranquilly and still called him by Voldemort's old name. "Merely taking your life would not satisfy me, I admit."

"There is nothing worse than death, Dumbledore!" Voldemort cried wrathfully.

"You are quite wrong. Indeed, your failure to understand that there are things much worth than death has always been your greatest weakness." Dumbledore walked to Voldemort casually as though Voldemort was just a friendly acquaintance.

Voldemort shot another Killing Curse to Dumbledore. The centaur that had been galloping around him for protection jumped out and took the brutal blow. It burst out into thousands of pieces. Dumbledore shot out a curious spell that flew through the air like a whip made of fire and wrapped itself around Voldemort. Voldemort whispered something as he looked into Dumbledore's eyes and the fiery rope became a big snake that fell to the floor and advanced on Dumbledore.

Voldemort disapparated and then apparated onto a little stand in the middle of a fountain. He looked regal, he looked wonderful, he looked...king-like.

Bellatrix struggled under the witch's heaviness.

"Look out!" came the forgotten voice of Harry Potter.

Voldemort cast another Killing Curse to Dumbledore at the precise moment the fire-snake struck.

A bright red phoenix flew from what seemed like no where and ate the green spell that Voldemort had made. The phoenix soundlessly landed on the floor as a tiny chick.

Dumbledore swished his wand at the snake and it flew into the air, still leaned in and fangs still out, and it disappeared into smoke. His wand whipped again to Voldemort who was too slow to move. The water that once surrounded Voldemort's pedestal rose from the pool and surrounded him, hugging Voldemort's body tight in the water.

Voldemort vanished from the wrap of liquid and it fell back into the pool it had raised from, splashing the floor around it.

Bellatrix screamed in horror. _Did Dumbledore actually overcome him?! _"MASTER!" She howled with terror and kicked at the statue that was still holding her body to the floor.

"Kill me now, Dumbledore."

Bellatrix stopped crying immediately and jerked her head in Potter's direction. He lay about fifty feet away from her, a helpless heap on the floor.

"If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy!" Her Master's voice came form Harry's lips.

Then, a cold hand coiled over Bellatrix's arm. She felt her body being contracted and pulled through an invisible straw. She landed again on grass.

She sat up and looked around. "M-master?"

"Bella, I plotted the whole plan out. It was flawless. How has this child defied me so? He is a child! A mere, worthless, untrained child!" Voldemort spat irritably. "I think I know a way to fight child with child. It could help Potter understand that anyone could be dangerous…even if they reside in Hogwarts."

Bellatrix wiped her face. "Master? Who? Who do you think is worthy enough of your precious time?"

Voldemort looked down at Bellatrix. Softly he said, "Draco Malfoy. I will have to alert Lucius and Narcissa immediately. In the mean time, you should fix yourself back up; you look awful."

Bellatrix looked down at her ripped dress, mortified of her appearance.

_Pop!_ Voldemort disapparated.


	24. Chapter 24

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**_

_**A/N: Another longer chapter…Believe it or not, but this is longer than the Department of Mysteries chapter by over 1000 words….**_

Bellatrix was reading the Daily Prophet in the broken down cottage. It was about one month after the Department of Mysteries battle and the newspapers were still doing stories on it.

"The Dark Lord Has Risen Again!"

"Harry Potter: The Chosen One?"

"Simple Ways to Protect Yourself"

Bellatrix snorted. _People think there are ways to protect themselves? From the Dark Lord? I'd laugh in their face if I ever met them! He can break any simple barrier! Let them try!_

She continually scanned the paper, finding stories on the Giants that stomped out muggle homes two days ago, and the foggy mist of dementors that rained fear and havoc on the muggles just yesterday night.

Her Lord had become so powerful and strong within the past year. Bellatrix found it hard to believe that with his amount of supremacy, there could ever be a downfall caused by a teenage boy. Again, she laughed aloud.

Narcissa Malfoy, a frequent visitor of the old cottage, apparated into the center of the room Bellatrix was sitting in. Bellatrix glanced up from her paper to acknowledge her presence. This time, it was different, Narcissa's face was red and puffy, a sure sign that she had done quite a lot of crying.

"Cissy? Why are you crying when everyone can see you?" Bellatrix asked, setting her paper down.

Narcissa sputtered for a second and then took a deep breath to talk, "Th-the Dark Lord! H-he wants D-d-raco still!"

"Didn't he tell you before now?"

"N-no!" Narcissa's eyebrows furrowed and then softened with her weeping.

Bellatrix took a deep breath in.

"I-I know he doesn't want me t-to talk about it, Bella. B-but I don't want my Drac-co to do th-the Dark L-Lord's bidding! He is t-too young!" Her gasps between words and syllables annoyed Bellatrix more with each sentence Narcissa spoke. "I-I want someone t-to help him! I want him t-to—" Narcissa heaved a loud cry. "Someone n-needs to tell my Lord to f-find someone e-else to do the job! H-he is j-just mad at Lucius!"

"I don't deny that he is mad, Cissy. Lucius messed up a lot of big plans the Dark Lord had! Now, Lucius has caused a group of Death Eaters, and himself, to be sent into Azkaban! At this time, this is one more thing our Lord has to do!" Bellatrix stared at her sister.

Narcissa frowned severely and then wiped tears with her index finger. She sighed deeply and then locked eyes with Bellatrix. "He should not take his anger out on my son and me!"

"Narcissa!" Bellatrix grabbed her heart. "How dare you contradict the Dark Lord's decisions!"

"Are you going to persuade the Dark Lord or will I have to find someone more willing?" Narcissa asked her voice became suddenly hard.

"I will never," Bellatrix replied coldly.

"Then I will have to ask another Death Eater!"

"You were told to keep it a secret, Cissy!" hissed Bellatrix.

"It's for the safety of my son! A mother will go at great lengths to protect their children!" she retorted.

"Who are you going to retrieve then, Cissy?" Bellatrix's head cocked and she wrinkled her eyebrows.

"I will go to the Dark Lord's other trusting servant—" Narcissa's voice dropped.

"—Besides I!"

"Severus Snape." Narcissa finished.

"Severus?" Bellatrix's expression went from irritated to incredulous in a matter of milliseconds, "SEVERUS?"

"Yes," Narcissa replied in a very quiet whisper.

"Severus doesn't know whose side he is on! One minute he seems to be doing Dumbledore's bidding and the next he is taking orders from the Lord!" Bellatrix shouted, "If you are going to betray the Dark Lord with your pathetic worries, at least ask someone who has some credibility! Severus is a traitor! The Dark Lord has just been too busy to see it! Listen to me!"

"I am asking Severus! I know him well, Bella!" Narcissa snapped back. She held out her wand and disapparated.

"Cissy! The Aurors are everywhere outside of here!" Bellatrix called after her, pulling out her own wand to follow her sister.

When Bellatrix regained her footing on the gravel road, she found that Narcissa was already ahead of her by long strides.

"Wait!" Bellatrix called again, very frustrated with her sister's rash decisions. An animal moved in the brush. Bellatrix jerked her head to them. _The muggle-lovers are everywhere! Stupid Narcissa!_ Bellatrix sent a Killing Curse into the bushes and a red fox fell feebly from them. She kicked it with her toe so it flipped over limply. "Just a fox. I thought perhaps an Auror." Bellatrix looked up. "Cissy! Wait!"

Narcissa picked up her pace and fumbled through the forest towards her destination. Bellatrix tried catching up with her. "Cissy! Narcissa! Listen to me!" She lunged at Narcissa and caught her arm.

Narcissa jerked it from her grip and pushed ahead. "Go back, Bella!"

"You must listen to me!"

"I've listened already. I've made my decision. Leave me alone!" Narcissa reached a street of homes and stood, breathing heavily on the road. She rose again and started walking as though she had every right to be there at that time of night. Bellatrix walked quickly at her heels and did not bother to stop to catch her breath.

Bellatrix looked around. Every house on the street was clearly a muggle home. Bellatrix crinkled her nose in disgust. "He lives here? _Here?_ In this muggle dunghill? We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot in this wretched place!"

Narcissa had gained more length over Bellatrix since she had paused to look around.

"Cissy! WAIT!" Bellatrix's voice rose considerably.

Narcissa picked up her stride even further and ran between the dismal houses.

Bellatrix raced after her angrily. Bellatrix lurched at Narcissa and caught her arm another time. She yanked Narcissa's jerking body and forced Narcissa to face her. "Cissy, you must not do this! You can't trust him!"

"The Dark Lord trusts him doesn't he?" Narcissa spat.

Bellatrix scowled. "The Dark Lord—I believe—is mistaken." She looked over her shoulder. "In any case, we were told not to speak of the plan to anyone. This is betrayal of the Dark Lord's—"

"Let go Bella!" snarled Narcissa. She drew her wand from her cloak's pocket and held it dangerously to Bellatrix's face.

Bellatrix laughed at her sister. "Your own sister? You wouldn't!"

"There is nothing I wouldn't do anymore!" Narcissa swished the wand at Bellatrix's arm that was restraining her and whispered a curse. A flash of white light lit up the area around them and Bellatrix shrieked briefly and drew her hand from Narcissa.

"Narcissa!"

Narcissa walked quickly again and Bellatrix massaged her burned hand. Bellatrix swore inaudibly at her sister. _Curse me? I hope he doesn't help you!_

Narcissa knocked rapidly and loudly on the door of a ramshackle home at the end of Spinners End. The door opened slightly and the person inside surveyed them cautiously.

Narcissa removed her hood and her hair fell down her back wonderfully.

"Narcissa! What a pleasant surprise!" Severus Snape said, opening the door to reveal himself better.

"Severus," Narcissa half-whispered, "may I speak to you? It's urgent!"

Severus nodded, "But of course." He stepped back to let the two inside his home. His gaze fell upon Bellatrix who walked into the home with her hood still on and without request.

"Snape," Bellatrix's voice came from under her hood.

"Bellatrix," Snape replied, his eyes followed her as she passed.

Severus ushered them to the sofa which was merely feet from where they had currently been standing. Narcissa removed her cloak completely before seating herself, whereas Bellatrix removed hers more slowly and vigilantly.

"So, what can I do for you?" Snape asked as he sat down in an armchair.

"We," Narcissa glanced around the room, "we are alone, aren't we?"

"Yes, of course. Well, Wormtail's here, but we aren't counting vermin are we?" Severus sneered. He pointed his wand at a bookshelf and said a short incantation. The bookshelf flew out of the way and revealed a staircase where Wormtail stood a few steps up shivering. "As you have clearly realized, Wormtail, we have guests," Severus said, re-pocketing his wand.

Wormtail carefully continued down the steps, stroking his right hand that was wearing some sort of silver glove. His eyes darted from person to person. "Narcissa! And Bellatrix! How charming—"

"Wormtail will get us drinks, if you'd like them," Severus interrupted, not even glancing at the short, paranoid man. "Then, he will return to his bedroom."

"I am not your servant!" Wormtail spoke out as he looked at the wall behind Severus.

Severus turned his head and looked at Wormtail. "Really? I was under the impression that the Dark Lord placed you here to assist me."

"To assist, yes—But not to make drinks and—and clean your house!" stuttered Wormtail.

"I had no idea, Wormtail, that you were craving more dangerous assignments! This can easily be arranged; I will speak to the Dark Lord—"

"I can speak to him if I want to!"

"Of course you can. But in the mean time, you will bring us drinks. Some of the elf-made wine will do."

Wormtail dropped his head as though he had lost yet another battle and he walked into another bookcase-hidden door. He returned again with a large, dusty wine bottle and three little glasses. He dropped them lazily on the old table before them and hurried off into his room.

Bellatrix glared at Severus from her seating place as he poured drinks. He gave one to Narcissa who quietly said thanks and then one to Bellatrix. She took the glass and looked at it and then Severus with mild disgust.

"The Dark Lord," Severus toasted and the sisters followed.

As Severus handed Narcissa her glass after refilling it to the brim she blurted, "Severus, I'm so sorry to come here like this but I had to see you! I think you are the only one who can help me—"

Severus held up his hand and shot a spell at Wormtail's bookcase. He squealed from the other side and Severus turned back around to face her. "My apologies. He has lately taken to listening at doors. I don't know what he means by it—you were saying, Narcissa?

Narcissa heaved a shaking breath. "Severus, I ought not to be here—"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"—I have been told to say nothing to anyone, but—"

"Then you ought to hold your tongue!" Bellatrix snarled, "Particularly in present company!"

"'Present company'?" repeated Severus sarcastically, "and what am I to understand by that, Bellatrix?"

"That I don't trust you, Snape, as you very well know!"

Narcissa cried out and let her head fall into her hands.

Severus put his glass on the table. He smiled at Bellatrix, "Narcissa, I think we ought to hear what Bellatrix is bursting to say. It will save tedious interruptions. Well, continue, Bellatrix." He tried to make his mocking smile look more pleasant. "Why is it that you do not trust me?"

Bellatrix slammed her glass down on the table, sloshing wine everywhere. Severus raised his eyebrows. "A hundred reasons!" she shouted, standing up, "Where to start! Where were you when the Dark Lord fell? Why did you never make any attempt to find him when he vanished? What have you been doing all these years that you've lived in Dumbledore's pocket? Why did you stop the Dark Lord from procuring the Sorcerer's Stone? Why did you not return at once when the Dark Lord was reborn? Where were you a few weeks ago when we battled to retrieve the prophesy for the Dark Lord? And why, Snape, is Harry Potter still alive, when you have had him at your mercy for five years?"

Severus continued to smile. "Before I answer you—oh yes, Bellatrix, I am going to answer! You can carry my words back to the others who whisper behind my back and carry false tales of my treachery to the Dark Lord! Before I answer you, I say, let me ask a question in turn. Do you really think that the Dark Lord has not asked me each and every one of those questions? And do you really think that, had I no been able to give satisfactory answers, I would still be sitting here talking to you?"

Bellatrix scowled. "I know he believes you but—"

"You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow hoodwinked him? Fooled the Dark Lord, the greatest wizard, the most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen?" Severus smiled again, only this time more sardonic and mocking.

Bellatrix said nothing. She did not dare say she thought the Dark Lord was mistaken to someone who gets to see him so frequently.

"You ask me where I was when the Dark Lord fell. I was where he had ordered me to be, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, because he wished me to spy upon Albus Dumbledore. You know, I presume, that it was on the Dark Lord's orders that I took up the post?"

Bellatrix knew that of course! She opened her mouth to speak but Severus had already begun to continue.

"You ask why I did not attempt to find him when he vanished. For the same reason that Avery, Yaxley, the Carrows, Greyback, Lucius," he gestured to Narcissa with his chin, "and many others did not attempt to find him. I believed him finished. I am not proud of it, I was wrong, but there is…if he had not forgiven we who lost faith at the time, he would have very few followers left."

"He'd have me! I, who spent many years in Azkaban for him!" Bellatrix said, clutching her heart.

"Yes, indeed, most admirable," Severus said in a bored voice. He looked at the wine he tornado-ed his wine glass that he now had grasped in his right hand. "Of course, you weren't a lot of use to him in prison, but the gesture was undoubtedly fine—"

_GESTURE?!_ "Gesture!" she cried out furiously. Her eyes glinted madly. "While I endured the dementors, you remained at Hogwarts, comfortably playing Dumbledore's pet!"

"Not quite," Severus said, still watching his swirling glass. "He wouldn't give me the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, you know. Seemed to think it might—ah—bring about a relapse…tempt me into my old ways."

"This was your sacrifice for the Dark Lord, Not to teach your favorite subject? Why did you stay there all that time, Snape? Still spying on Dumbledore for a master you believed dead?" She sneered, thinking she had outwitted him.

"Hardly," Severus said calmly. "Although, the Dark Lord is pleased I never deserted my post. I had sixteen years of information on Dumbledore to give him when he returned, a rather more useful welcome-back present than endless reminiscences of how unpleasant Azkaban is…"

Bellatrix looked mortified. "But you stayed—"

"Yes Bellatix, I stayed." Severus began to get impatient, "I had a comfortable job that I preferred to a stint in Azkaban. They were rounding up the Death Eaters, you know. Dumbledore's protection kept me out of jail; it was most convenient and I used it. I repeat: The Dark Lord does not complain that I stayed, so I do not see why you do." Severus raised his voice over Bellatrix who was about to interrupt. "I think you next wanted to know why I stood between the Dark Lord and the Sorcerer's Stone. That is easily answered. He did not know whether he could trust me. He thought like you, that I had turned from a faithful Death Eater, to Dumbledore's stooge. He was in a pitiable condition, very weak, sharing the body of a mediocre wizard. He did not dare reveal himself to a former ally if that ally might turn him over to Dumbledore or the Ministry. I deeply regret that he did not trust me. He would have returned to power three years sooner. As it was, I saw only greedy and unworthy Quirrell attempting to steal the stone and, I admit, I did all I could to thwart him."

"But you did not return when he came back! You didn't fly back to him at once when you felt the Dark Mark burn!" she accused. Bellatrix shifted from one foot to the other.

"Correct! I returned two hours later. I returned on Dumbledore's orders!"

"On Dumbledore's—?" she began to shout.

"Think!" Severus snapped angrily, "Think! By waiting two hours, just two hours, I ensured that I could remain at Hogwarts as a spy! By allowing Dumbledore to think that I was only returning to the Dark Lord's side because I was ordered to, I have been able to pass information on Dumbledore ant he Order of the Phoenix ever since!" Severus looked at Bellatrix's perplexed face. "Consider, Bellatrix: The Dark Mark had been growing stronger for months. I knew he must be about to return, all the Death Eaters knew! I had plenty of time to think about what I wanted to do, to plan my next move, to escape like Karkaroff, didn't I?" Severus placed his glass on the table again and looked at the wine that had soaked into the wood from Bellatrix's glass. "The Dark Lord's intitial displeasure at my lateness vanished entirely, I assure you, when I explained that I remained faithful, although Dumbledore thought I was his man. Yes, the Dark Lord thought I had left him forever, but he was wrong!"

"What use have you been? What useful information have we had from you?" Bellatrix retorted.

"My information has been conveyed directly to the Dark Lord!" Severus said calmly, "If he chooses not to share it with you—"

"He shares everything with me!" Bellatrix said madly as she one-upped Severus, who was also at his feet. "He calls me his most loyal, his most faithful—"

"Does he?" Severus said, quietly ridiculing her, "Does he_still_, after the fiasco at the Ministry?"

"That was not my fault!" Bellatrix bellowed furiously. "The Dark Lord has, in the past, trusted me with his most precious—" She paused, "—if Lucius hadn't—"

"Don't you dare – don't you _dare_ blame my husband!" Narcissa's dangerous eyes jerked from under her hands and up at her sister.

"There is no point apportioning blame. What is done is done!" Severus said silkily.

"But not by you! No, you were once again gone while the rest of us ran dangers, were you not, Snape?"

"My orders were to remain behind," Severus said, looking calmly at Bellatrix. "Perhaps you disagree with the Dark Lord; perhaps you think that Dumbledore would not have noticed if I had joined forces with the Death Eaters to fight the Order of the Phoenix? And—forgive me—you speak of dangers…you were facing six teenagers, were you not?"

Bellatrix flushed a brilliant pink. "They were joined, as you very well know, by half of the Order before long! And, while we are on the subject of the Order, you still claim you cannot reveal the whereabouts of their headquarters don't you?"

"I am not the secret-keeper! I cannot speak the name of the place. You understand how the enchantment works, I think? The Dark Lord is satisfied with the information I have passed him on the Order. It led as perhaps you have guessed, to the recent capture and murder of Emmeline Vance. It certainly helped dispose of Sirius Black, though I give you full credit of finishing him off." He raised his glass to toast her.

Bellatrix pressed on, ignoring his last comment, "you are avoiding my last question, Snape. Harry Potter. You could have killed him at any point in the past five years. You have not done it. Why?"

"Have you discussed the matter with the Dark Lord?"

"He—lately, we—I am asking you Snape!"

Severus raised his eyebrows with amusement. "If I had murdered Harry Potter, the Dark Lord could not have used his blood to regenerate, making him invincible—"

"You claim you foresaw his use of the boy!"

"I do not claim it; I had no idea of his plans; I have already confessed that I thought the Dark Lord dead. I am merely trying to explain why the Dark Lord is not sorry that Potter survived. As least until a year ago…"

"But why did you keep him alive?" Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at Severus suspiciously.

"Have you not understood me? It was only Dumbledore's protection that was keeping me out of Azkaban! Do you disagree that murdering his favorite student might have turned him against me? But there was no more to it than that. I should remind you that when Potter first arrived at Hogwarts there were still many stories circulating about him, rumors that he himself was a great Dark wizard, which is how he survived the Dark Lord's attack. Indeed, many of the Dark Lord's old followers thought Potter might be a standard around which we could all rally once more. I was curious, I admit it, and not at all inclined to murder him from the moment he set foot in the castle." Severus looked over at Narcissa who had returned her head to her hands.

"Of course," he continued, "it became apparent to me very quickly that he had no extraordinary talent at all. He fought his way out of a number of tight corners by a simple combination of sheer luck and more talented friends. He is mediocre to the last degree, though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him. I have done my utmost to have him thrown out of Hogwarts, where I believe he scarcely belongs, but kill him, or allow him to be killed in front of me? I would have been a fool to risk it with Dumbledore close at hand."

"And through all this we are supposed to believe Dumbledore has never suspected you? He has no idea of your 'true' allegiance, he trusts you implicitly still?" Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

Severus seated himself and rested back. "I have played my part well. And you overlook Dumbledore's greatest weakness." He brushed a long piece of black hair from his face. "He has to believe the best of people. I spun him a tale of deepest remorse when I joined his staff, fresh from my Death Eater days, and he embraced me with open arms. Though, as I say, never allowing me nearer the Dark Arts than he could help. Dumbledore has been a great wizard—oh yes he has."

Bellatrix gagged with revulsion.

"The Dark Lord acknowledges it. I am pleased to say, however, that Dumbledore is growing old. The duel with the Dark Lord last month shook him. He has since sustained a serious injury because of his reactions are slower than they once were. But through all these years, he has never stopped trusting Severus Snape, and therein lies my great value to the Dark Lord."

Bellatrix frowned and tried to think of another question she could ask to frame him, but he had turned to her sister and begun talking.

"Now…You came to ask me for help, Narcissa?"

Narcissa sat up and her eyes were still red. "Yes, Severus, I—I think you are the only one who can help me. I have nowhere else to turn. Lucius is still in jail and…" Narcissa held her eyes shut stirred up a fresh batch of tears. "The Dark Lord has forbidden me to speak of it. He wishes none to know of the plan. It is…very secret. But—"

"If he has forbidden it, you ought not to speak. The Dark Lord's word is law." Severus said calmly.

Narcissa gasped and opened her eyes.

Bellatrix smiled proudly and looked from Severus to her sister. "There! Even Snape says so: You were told not to talk, so hold your silence!"

Severus stood and closed the curtains of the lone window in the sitting room. "It so happens that I know of the plan. I am one of the few the Dark Lord has told." Severus looked sternly at Narcissa. "Nevertheless, had I not been in on the secret, Narcissa, you would have been guilty of great treachery to the Dark Lord."

Narcissa let out a sigh of relief. "I thought you must know about it! He trusts you so, Severus!"

Bellatrix's glorifying expression immediately became ire. "You know about the plan? _You _know?"

"Certainly," Severus said, not even looking at Bellatrix. "But what help do you require, Narcissa? If you are imagining I can persuade the Dark Lord to change his mind, I am afraid there is no hope, none at all."

Narcissa's tears still fell down her face in one continuous stream. "Severus…my son…my only son…"

"Draco should be proud!" Bellatrix waved off her sister's crying as weak. "The Dark Lord is granting him a great honor. And I will say this for Draco: He isn't shrinking away from his duty, he seems glad of a chance to prove himself, excited at the prospect!"

Narcissa began to bawl with her eyes vulnerably fixed on Severus. "That is because he is sixteen and he has no idea what lies in store! Why, Severus? Why my son? It is too dangerous! This is vengeance for Lucius's mistake! I know it!"

Severus looked over her head with a straight, unmoving face.

"That's why he's chosen Draco, isn't it?" She carried on. "To punish Lucius?"

"If Draco succeeds, he will be honored above all others." Severus said stone-faced.

"But he won't succeed!" Narcissa cried, "How can he, when the Dark Lord himself—?"

Bellatrix gave a sharp intake of breath. _Maybe the Dark Lord does not want to slay Dumbledore himself! He has his reasons! Narcissa! You foolish woman!_

Narcissa realized her mistake.

"I only meant—that nobody has yet succeeded—Severus—please!—you are, you have always been, Draco's favorite teacher—you are Lucius's old friend—I beg you…You are the Dark Lord's favorite, his most true advisor. Will you speak to him—persuade him?" Narcissa pleaded feebly.

"The Dark Lord will not be persuaded and I am not stupid enough to attempt it. I cannot pretend that the Dark Lord is not angry with Lucius. Lucius was supposed to be in charge. He got himself captured along with how many others, and failed to retrieve the prophesy into the bargain. Yes, the Dark Lord is angry, Narcissa, very angry indeed." Severus looked at the white-haired woman and turned away.

Narcissa stood from her seat and staggered as though she had been stabbed in the heard towards Severus. She clutched the front of his robes and cried, "You could do it. You could do it instead of Draco, Severus. You would succeed, of course you would, and he would reward you beyond all of us."

Severus removed her grasp from his robes. He looked into her eyes and said, "he intends me to do it in the end, I think. But he is determined that Draco should try first. You see, in the unlikely event that Draco succeeds, I shall be able to remain at Hogwarts a little longer, fulfilling my useful role as a spy."

"In other words, it doesn't matter to him if Draco is killed!"

"The Dark Lord is very angry. He failed to hear the prophesy. You know as well as I do, Narcissa that he does not forgive easily."

Narcissa fell to the floor sobbing. "My son…my only son!"

Bellatrix snorted and looked away from her pathetic and weak sister. "You should be proud! If I had sons, I would be glad to give them up to the service of the Dark Lord!"

Severus lifted Narcissa by the arms and placed her on the couch, shoving a glass of wine into her hands. "Narcissa, that's enough. Drink this. Listen to me." Severus returned to his seat. "It might be possible…for me to help Draco."

Narcissa suddenly became alert. "Severus…oh, Severus! You would help him? Would you look after him, see that he comes to no harm?"

Severus diverted his eyes nervously away from hers, "I can try."

Narcissa scrambled to where he was sitting and sat on her knees, kissing his hand. "If you are there to protect him, Severus, will you swear it? Will you make the Unbreakable Vow?"

Severus's face fell very clearly. "The Unbreakable Vow?"

Bellatrix laughed loudly at her sister. "Aren't you listening, Narcissa? Oh, he'll try, I'm sure…the usual empty words, the usual slithering out of action. Oh! On the Dark Lord's orders of course!"

Severus looked at Narcissa, meeting her eyes. "Certainly, Narcissa, I shall make the Unbreakable Vow. Perhaps your sister will consent to be our Bonder." He dropped to his knees, eye-level with Narcissa and grasped her right hand firmly.

Bellatrix's jaw dropped. _This is for show! He will break this vow—I know it! And he will die when he does! I will be their Bonder—oh I will! But he will fail, and Narcissa will see!_

"You will need your wand, Bellatrix," Severus said, breaking her thoughts, "And you will need to move a little closer."

Bellatrix stepped over, touching her wand to their clasped hands.

"Will you, Severus, watch over my son, Draco, as he attempts to fufill the Dark Lord's wishes?" Narcissa asked, staring into his eyes.

"I will."

A string of fire linked their hands together from the tip of Bellatrix's wand.

"And will you, to the best of your ability, protect him from harm?"

"I will."

Another string of fire intertwined itself with the first, strengthening the even bond further.

"And, should it prove necessary…if it seems Draco will fail, will you carry out the deed the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to perform?"

Severus's hand moved ever so slightly within Narcissa's tight grip.

Bellatrix's eyes widened. _ He will say no! I saw that! He knows he will fail!_

"I will."

A thicker string of the fire looped itself intricately around the pair's hands and the strings that had already bonded them. The bond grew red hot and then disappeared.

The pair held hands for a moment before Severus Snape stood up, breaking the silence. "If that is all, I wish to put this long night to rest."

Narcissa nodded and thanked him gratefully, feeling better assured of her son's protection. She replaced her cloak and walked out the door Severus politely held open.

Bellatrix glared at Severus as she put her cloak on and covered her face, striding into the black night. She could not wait until she would hear the Severus Snape messed up, leaving Draco for the hounds.


	25. Chapter 25

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**_

_**A/N: I just had to establish a few things in this tiny chapter…**_

Bellatrix looked up at the Lestrange Manor she used to live in.

She knew that now it was being investigated every now and then by the Ministry of Magic because she was a wanted woman with a hefty bounty hanging over her head. Although the bounty was about 7,500 galleons, she was well aware that nobody—no mud-blood, no Auror, and no wizard or witch had the mental or physical strength it would take to face her and try to bring her to justice. Every person in the wizarding community was informed enough to know that somehow, the Dark Lord would find out who they were and where they live before she would have even reached the Ministry Headquarters by apparating. He would hunt them down and destroy them and their family with no mercy or care.

That was just the way Lord Voldemort has always played his cards.

The front shudders were rotting off of their hinges. Bellatrix put a hand up to shield her eyes and looked down each way of the sidewalk and then stepped up the cobblestone steps to her home. She wondered if Pokey was still alive or even bothering to take care of the house. She guessed not.

She opened the front door with a simple "Alahamora." The inside was impeccably clean, a vast contrast to the front of the Manor.

"Pokey!" Bellatrix demanded from the entryway.

The old, old elf came wobbling in very slowly from around the corner. She looked from Bellatrix's feet to the top of her head and her whole body perked up. "Miss Lestrange! Your home! Oh my! Pokey thought Miss Lestrange would never be back!" Pokey's enormous grey eyes watered. "I can make you food! Anything!"

"Pokey, you have kept the house well," Bellatrix commented without any expression of gratitude, looking down her nose at the eager elf.

"Only in Miss Lestrange's best interests!" Pokey replied, thoroughly delighted.

"Rodolphus will be home very soon; dinner shall be prepared by you and ready by that time."

"Oh yes! Miss Lestrange?"

"Yes, Pokey?" Bellatrix asked, still cold.

"Pokey is happy you are home!" Pokey smiled and walked more freely—but slowly—into the kitchen.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes and walked upstairs into her bedroom.

The room was still in the exact same way Bellatrix had left it before she left. The bed was made though, but for seventeen or so years with no master to tell Pokey what to do, it was pretty obvious she would make it.

Bellatrix knew it would be a while before Rodolphus would come home; he would have to stop by the local pub to say hello's and drink a few before he would return to sup with his bitter wife alone.

She looked down at a picture that was placed nicely on her dresser and picked it up to see it better in the sunset that was shining through her window. It was her mother and father on their wedding day, clutching hands and looking into the camera with the same faces they held when Bellatrix was sent off to Hogwarts. They had died about eight years ago when they were side-along apparating. Apparently, Cygnus had become distracted when he was apparating with Druella and they each left half of their bodies behind. The Dark Lord seemed to have remembered the details so well when he informed Bellatrix of the grave news. Deep down inside, she knew they had upset her Lord, but she would never dare ask him if that was so. Bellatrix set the picture down carefully to its resting place. The melancholy was overwhelming her; she decided that the best place to go was back downstairs to wait for Rodolphus to return to eat.

However, when she put her foot on the final step, she saw Rodolphus seated comfortably in the sitting room, sipping a Fire-whiskey.

"Rodolphus! Weren't you supposed to be at the pub with all of your little 'friends' tonight?" She frowned at him slightly.

Rodolphus looked up at her from his intent stare through the front window. "Sorry, I just saw a cat sitting in the window…strange though…thought I recognized it!"

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed. "A cat? _What kind of cat?_"

"Enchanting one, really. It was an orange-gold color with the most vivid green eyes!" Rodolphus rubbed his chin and glanced again at the empty windows.

"Rodolphus! Come! We must leave immediately!" Bellatrix screamed as she grabbed his wrist and apparated with him still in her grasp.

"What? What was that, Bella?" Rodolphus asked, gasping.

"Rodolphus! This is no time to be an imbecile! You know very well who that was!" Bellatrix pushed the door to the broken down cottage out of her way, continuing to drag Rodolphus behind her. When she pulled him into the dining area where her Lord always sat, waiting for additions to his plan to destroy Harry Potter without Dumbledore interfering, she dropped his hand at once upon the Dark Lord's sight. She talked low and almost lovingly, "My Lord…I wish to speak with you." She bowed after she made her request.

"It's always pleasant to talk to you, Bella, please, do carry on," Voldemort replied coolly.

"My Lord," She continued with her same tone. Rodolphus looked away from her. "I have reason to believe Minerva McGonagall has just spotted Rodolphus and I dining at our Manor about ten minutes ago." Bellatrix shot Rodolphus a disgusted look like it was his entire fault.

Rodolphus, used to being forced to play the bad guy, just ignored her glare and looked at Nagini who looped itself around the chair beside the Dark Lord.

Lord Voldemort eyed her carefully, "Why were you at your home? I thought I made it very clear that it was being monitored by the Order regularly."

"I know my Lord, but I…"

"Bella, you must live, eat, and stay here. No where else unless you are accompanied by me. I have a feeling the Order is swarming over your house right now and Pokey is reliving what she had to seventeen years ago. Do you understand this Bella?" her Lord's eyes burned holes in her head.

"Yes, Master, I understand."

"Be more careful. Good night Bellatrix and Rodolphus."

"Good night, Master." Both of them mumbled, ashamed this was their second time to receive a scold from their Lord.


	26. Chapter 26

**_CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX_**

"This is undoubtedly a very important meeting. I am very assured that all of you before me understand what is about to take place at Hogwarts tonight, yes?" The Dark Lord's white hands clasped on the dark oak table as he surveyed the group.

Many of the servants nodded dutifully.

"As you may know, we will have to send people to protect Draco Malfoy during his mission. His duty alone is to assassinate Albus Dumbledore. The select few will help him to corner the Professor or capture him; although none of you may help him harm or murder him. Anyone who stands in your way or finds out what you are doing must be killed. The job must be completed tonight. Understood?" The Dark Lord stared viciously at Draco, who was proudly sitting in his seat looking at the envious Death Eaters around him.

Bellatrix tried to catch Narcissa's eye but Narcissa stared intently at the wall directly in front of her.

Lord Voldemort continued to speak once again, "Draco, here, has found an opening into the Hogwarts grounds that does not need any great spells to enter the protection charms. Draco, would you care to tell your allies where it is?"

Draco nodded quickly, avoiding the intensity of his Lord's eyes on him. "Well, I found this broken dresser in a room in Hogwarts. If you get inside it, it takes you to Borgin and Burkes. Montague, a fellow Slytherin, fell into it and he told me he could hear things in the shop and in Hogwarts. I fixed up the one in Hogwarts and I could, without any problems, get into Borgin's store!" Draco swelled with satisfaction and smiled nervously.

The Dark Lord's eyes flicked to Narcissa and then to Severus. "Very good, Draco. Very good indeed," drawled the Dark Lord.

"My Lord, I wish to make a request." Severus Snape spoke up.

"You may," the Dark Lord responded somewhat lazily.

"If, and only if, it seems that Mr. Malfoy can not fulfill his duty to murder the Headmaster, should I do it for him?" Severus made no sign of nervousness in his question.

Bellatrix crinkled her nose and huffed.

"What kind of obstacles would halt him from doing as I say?" the Dark Lord asked sternly but curiously.

"Lets say he were to become frightened at the last minute; seeing as he is sixteen most unlike you, he may not be able to do as you asked. Or, if Malfoy were to be stopped by a member of the Order. It could be anything, my Lord, but I think if we are to have such a great scheme for a child, we at least need a little reassuring back up." Severus's eyes met with the Dark Lord's and he did not break them away.

After a pause of silence, the Dark Lord narrowed his eyes and said, "I agree Severus, I am very thankful you have brought up such an inquiry." The Dark Lord turned and faced the table of followers. "The boy will give you instructions from there, you will listen to him. You will meet amongst each other at nine-fifty tonight in front of Borgin and Burkes which is approximately forty-five minutes from now. I am going to order you to not disrupt anything in the village, as we do not want to attract unwanted trouble if all possible." The Dark Lord's eyes glowed crimson in the darkened room. "You may leave now."

"My Lord?" Bellatrix whispered from the center of the emptying table.

"Yes, Bella," responded the Dark Lord from the end of the table.

"Why am I not going with Draco? He is my nephew." Bellatrix inquired, still whispering.

The Dark Lord smiled slightly and met her gaze. "I am sending those of lower rank. While you have done foolish things in the past, I will not send you on such a questionable mission. One of two things could happen, Bella. One, the Order of the Phoenix could catch wind of our…plan, and they could come and meet us there."

"They could not possibly hear of our objective, Master, we are faithful to you!" Bellatrix slammed her closed hand into her heart.

"Bellatrix, not everyone is as willful as you." The Dark Lord cocked his head and looked carefully at her. "People will tell others, whether it is a friend or a family member, especially if they are excited. Now, the other thing that could happen is the plan can, but it's very unlikely, run smoothly and Dumbledore is killed while everyone in Hogwarts is unaware."

"Master, I would be no match for the wretched blood-traitors of the Order! I desire to be in the battle!" Bellatrix's whisper was raising notes at a time.

"Bella, do not doubt my orders and do not disagree with me. I plan for a reason and I do not need remarks to oppose my own!" the Dark Lord hissed with irritation.

"Yes Master. I agree." Bellatrix hesitantly stood and strode from the room. She walked slowly into the conjoining room where the people who were assigned the task congregated eagerly. Bellatrix felt a hand on her back.

"Come, Bellatrix, the news for us will arrive tomorrow. We must get some rest to pass the time," Rodolphus said quietly from behind her.

Bellatrix nodded reluctantly as she stepped up the stairway and into the room just around the corner.

xxxx

"Bellatrix! Oh! Bellatrix! Awake! Awake I say!" Narcissa pushed her sister roughly on the shoulders.

"Get off of me! I am! I am!" Bellatrix rose from her bed and wiped her face. Coldly, Bellatrix snapped, "What is the matter with you Cissy?"

"Get dressed! You will find out when you have changed and you are presentable!" Narcissa pulled a long emerald dress from the armoire across the room and handed it to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix slid into the dress and buttoned it up as fast as she could without mixing them up. She walked over to the mirror beside the armoire and studied herself. She combed out her long, black, coarse, and graying hair carefully. Through the reflection, she looked at her sister who paced the room. "Tell me, what has become of your son?"

"Come, Bella, lets go downstairs." Narcissa impatiently grabbed Bellatrix's elbow and pulled her from the room. Jeering and hoots could be heard from the top of the stairs.

"Good Morning, Bellatrix!" a few Death Eaters called drunkenly.

Its eight-thirty in the morning! Drunk already!

"Cissy, tell me, what has happened last night?" Bellatrix had grown a little frustrated at the events that were taking place that morning.

"Dumbledore is dead and my Draco has survived! He survived, Bella!" Narcissa's eyes welled with elated tears.

"He killed Dumbledore?" Bellatrix's mouth fell open and her eyes widened with disbelief.

"No, no, Severus helped him along with that. He is sixteen! It was practically expected! No Death Eaters were killed either!" Narcissa smiled and several Death Eaters paraded around the room with bottles of firewhiskey.

Bellatrix's slowly smiled. "So, Draco failed his task? Where is Snape?"

Narcissa frowned at Bellatrix's insensitive comment. "Severus is in hiding. He cannot be seen now because everyone knows he killed Dumbledore. The Dark Lord will protect him."

"Bellatrix, you're quite a gal…" Jugson slurred as he looped his arm that was holding his bottle around her neck.

Bellatrix rapidly became livid. "Let go of me you animal! Inpedimenta!" She heaved a spell at him. The jinx lifted him off of her and threw him dramatically into the wall about twenty feet away. He dropped to the floor and lolled about. The room of people seemed unaffected by Jugson.

Narcissa had already begun to mingle with other Death Eaters.

Bellatrix pocketed her wand, straightened her back, and walked over to where Rodolphus stood, chatting up a lively group.


	27. Chapter 27

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**_

About a week later, the Dark Lord called upon all of the Death Eaters for a meeting, only this time, it was scheduled at Lucius Malfoy's home.

Bellatrix looked at her sister's majestic home. Everything about it screamed wealth, prosperity, and royalty. The hedges were always perfectly cut, the lawn was always perfectly trimmed, and the flowers were always perfectly erect. Bellatrix loved and hated everything about the Malfoy's manor.

She pushed open the front door without bothering to knock.

"Bellatrix, please follow me this way." Narcissa greeted her sister and escorted her into the grand dining room.

A few pieces of furniture were shoved recklessly against the walls. The fireplace blazed brilliantly in the dark room, creating curious shadows. The long wood table was polished to a faultless shine.

There was one trivial disturbance to the extravagant room—the body that was twirling ever so slightly above the table and chairs.

Bellatrix eyed the body cautiously as she took a seat in her usual spot halfway down the right side of the table. As she sat down, the body was turning to face her. Tears were streaming into the woman's hair as her purple, unconscious face twitched.

"Professor Burbage," the Dark Lord said impassively from his end of the table.

Bellatrix smiled as she spoke to the rotating woman, "I have heard of this one, and infectious waste of skin…"

"Now, Bella, be nice to our guest," the Dark Lord drawled.

More Death Eaters began to fill seats one by one until all but two were occupied. Snape's seat beside the Dark Lord was still open as was Yaxley's a few chairs down.

But just as the clock was about to strike eleven, the door to the dining room opened slowly, reavealing the two men.

"Yaxley, Snape, You are very nearly late," the Dark Lord's voice echoed in the room. "Severus, here." Voldemort gestured to his right. "Yaxley, beside Dolohov."

Bellatrix scanned the table as she always did during these meetings. It was just now that she noticed Lucius sitting beside Narcissa. She tilted her head and looked at his sickened, grey face. She had heard a tale or two of he and the others escaping from Azkaban just like she had, though, she didn't know it to be true. Her great Master has many great powers, and the Death Eaters seemed perfectly well-along without the others that had been locked up. Bellatrix wondered why he had risked so much to have them freed when he had caused so much grief to the Lord.

The Dark Lord broke the silence first, "So?" he asked, looking directly at Severus.

"My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall," Severus kept a surprisingly steady tone as he spoke to his Master.

Bellatrix fidgeted readily in her seat.

"Saturday…at nightfall," echoed the Dark Lord, staring unswervingly into Severus's eyes. "Good…very good…and this information comes from—"

"From the source we discussed," finished Severus calmly.

"My Lord," Yaxley interrupted from down the table. "My Lord, I have heard differently."

The Dark Lord's eyes flicked fiercely towards Yaxley.

"Dawlish, the Auror, let slip that Potter will not be moved until the thirtieth, the night before the boy turns seventeen." Yaxley looked at his twittering hands and then around the table.

Severus spoke again, more keenly, "My source told me that there are plans to lay a false trail. This must be it. No doubt a Cunfundus Charm has been placed upon Dawlish. It would not be the first time—he is known to be susceptible."

Yaxley quivered slightly. "I assure you, my Lord, Dawlish seemed quite certain."

Severus turned to Yaxley, "If he has been Confunded, naturally he is certain. I assure you, Yaxley, the Auror Office will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believes," Severus faced the Dark Lord, "that we have infiltrated the Ministry."

Bellatrix grinned.

"The Order's got one thing right, then, eh?" Alecto piped up, giggling, from his seat all the way down the table from the conversation.

The room stayed silent as the Dark Lord thoughtfully watched the revolving body. Most of the Death Eaters looked away nervously from the sight.

"My Lord, Dawlish believes an entire party of Aurors will be used to transfer the boy."

The Dark Lord held up a hand, stopping Yaxley in his tracks.

Yaxley frowned and glared at Severus as the Dark Lord's attention turned towards him.

"Where are they going to hide the boy next?" The Dark Lord's voice was smooth and cool.

Severus raised his chin. "At the home of one of the Order. The place, according to the source, has been given every protection that the Order and the Ministry together could provide. I think that there is little chance of taking him once he is there, my Lord, unless, of course, the Ministry has fallen before next Saturday, which might give us the opportunity to discover and undo enough of the enchantments to break through the rest."

Bellatrix bit the inside of her cheeks. _Next Saturday?!_

"Well Yaxley? Will the Ministry have fallen by next Saturday?" The Dark Lord's voice carried down the table so everyone could hear perfectly as they looked at the man.

"My Lord, I have good news on that score. I have, with difficulty, and after great effort, succeeded in placing an Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse." Dolohov roughly patted Yaxley's back in acknowledgement to the accomplishment.

"It's a start, but Thicknesse is only one man. Scrimgeour must be surrounded by our people before I act. One failed attempt on the Minister's life will set me back a long way." The Dark Lord frowned.

"Yes, my Lord, that is true. But you know, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Thicknesse has regular contact not only with the Minister himself, but also with the Heads of all the other Ministry departments. It will, I think, be easy now that we have such a high-ranking official under our control, to subjugate others, and then they can all work together to bring Scrimgeour down." Yaxley shifted uncomfortably when he noticed everybody was watching him.

"As long as our friend Thicknesse is not discovered before he has converted the rest. At any rate," The Dark Lord now addressed the whole group, "it remains unlikely that the Ministry will be mine before next Saturday. If we cannot touch the boy at his destination, then it must be done while he travels."

Yaxley rose in his seat. "We are at an advantage there, my Lord. We now have several people planted within the Department of Magical Transport. If Potter apparates or uses the Floo Network, we shall know immediately."

Severus interrupted, "He will not do either. The Order is eschewing any form of transport that is controlled or regulated by the Ministry—they mistrust everything to do with the place."

"All the better," the Dark Lord stated with a half-smile, "He will have to move in the open. Easier to take, by far." The Dark Lord continued to watch the body. "I shall attend to the boy in person. There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned. Some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors than to his triumphs." He inhaled a deep breath. "I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers of all but the best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be."

Frightening the whole mass of people, a scream of agony came from below the table, maybe from the floor below.

"Wormtail," his voice did not change a note, "have I not spoken to you about keeping our prisoner quiet?"

"Yes, my Lord!" Wormtail popped out of the seat catty-corner to Bellatrix and shuffled out the glorious oak-panel doors.

"As I was saying…I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter."

Bellatrix choked quietly on plain air. She clutched her throat dramatically until she regained herself.

"No volunteers? Let's see…" Voldemort looked at each Death Eater until his snake-like eyes rested upon the withering Lucius. "Lucius, I see no reason for you to have your wand anymore."

Lucius raised his head to address his Master. "My Lord?" Lucius's voice was rough and quiet.

"Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand." The Dark Lord said in a deadpan tone.

"I…"

Narcissa closed her hand over his wrist to remind him his place below their Lord. He reached into his pocket and handed it to the Dark Lord.

Their Lord held it before him and twisted it between his index finger and thumb. "What is it?"

"Elm, my Lord," responded Lucius blankly.

"And the core?"

"Dragon…Dragon heartstring." Lucius looked hat his clasped hands in his lap.

"Good." The Dark Lord took his own wand from his pocket and compared the two side by side. When he did so, Lucius made a very short twitch that was barely noticeable as though he anticipated getting his Master's wand in return. The Dark Lord's eyes grew larger.

"Give you my wand, Lucius? _My_ wand?" The Dark Lord hissed, "I have given you your liberty, Lucius, is that enough for you? But I have noticed that you and your family seem less than happy of late...What is it about my presence in your home that displeases you, Lucius?"

Lucius and the rest of the table tensed. "Nothing—nothing, my Lord!"

"Such _lies_, Lucius." Nagini slid up the chair the Dark Lord was seated in and came to rest upon his shoulders. "Why do the Malfoys look so unhappy with their lot? Is my return, my rise to power, not the very thing they professed to desire for so many years?"

"Of course, my Lord." Lucius wiped his upper lip. "We did desire it…we do!"

Each of the Malfoys nodded nervously and unwilling to look directly at their Lord.

Bellatrix, disgusted with her sister's family, spoke diligently on their behalf, "My Lord, it is an honor to have you here in our family's house. There can be no higher pleasure." She leaned toward her Master, her great, wonderful, powerful Master.

"No higher pleasure," repeated her Lord. He cocked his head slightly and his red eyes focused on her. "That means a great deal, Bellatrix, from you."

Bellatrix smiled brilliantly and her eyes welled with elated tears. "My Lord knows I speak nothing but the truth!"

"No higher pleasure…even compared with the happy event that I hear has taken place in your family this week?" The Dark Lord's voice remained the same.

Bellatrix racked her brain for an explanation to the question. "I don't know what you mean, my Lord."

"I am talking about your niece, Bellatrix. And yours, Lucius and Narcissa. She has just married the werewolf, Remus Lupin. You must be so proud."

Bellatrix flushed a pulsating red. The Death Eaters laughed and taunted the Malfoys and Bellatrix. They clapped and banged on the table excitedly to their shame.

Bellatrix howled out above their jeering, "She is no niece of ours, my Lord! We—Narcissa and I—have never set eyes on our sister since she married the mud-blood! This brat has nothing to do with us, or the beast she marries!"

Her master insisted on carrying on, "What say you, Draco? Will you baby-sit the cubs?"

Draco looked up at his father, mortified, who was staring still at his lap. He looked over at his mother and she shook her head very almost unnoticeably and then continued her blank stare at the wall.

"Enough," silenced the Dark Lord quietly. "Enough."

Silence filled the room.

"Many of our oldest family trees have become a little diseased over time," her Master paused as he watched her hand on his every word, "You must prune yours, must you not, to keep it healthy? Cut away those parts that threaten the health of the rest."

"Yes, my Lord," Bellatrix whispered gratefully. "At first chance!"

"You shall have it. And in your family, so in the world, we shall cut away the canker that infects us until only those of the true blood remain." The Dark Lord flicked Lucius's wand at the rotating woman. She immediately began struggling with the air around her that constricted her.

"Do you recognize our guest, Severus?" the Dark Lord asked him.

Everyone raised their eyes to the woman who was so humiliatingly hung upside-down, all the blood rushing to her face, and in front of a mass of killers, torturers, and villains. As she faced Severus she said, "Severus! Help me!"

"Ah, yes," Severus replied as the words glided off of his tongue.

"And you, Draco?"

Draco shook his head, terrified, and looked at the table quickly.

"But you would not have taken her classes," the Dark Lord straightened his back. "For those of you who do not know, we are joined here tonight by Charity Burbage, who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He raised his where his eyebrows used to be on his hairless body.

The table murmured with understanding.

"Yes…Professor Burbage taught the children of witches and wizards all about muggles…how they are not so different from us…"

Nott spat on the floor in repulsion.

"Severus…please…please…" Charity pleaded.

"Silence." The Dark Lord flicked Lucius's wand again and she was silenced. "Not content with corrupting and polluting the minds of Wizarding children, last week, Professor Burbage wrote an impassioned defense of mud-bloods in the Daily Prophet. Wizards, she says, must accept these thieves of their knowledge and magic. The dwindling of the purebloods is, says Professor Burbage, a most desirable circumstance…she would have us all mate with muggles…or no doubt, werewolves."

Everyone stayed quiet, for nobody dared to interrupt their Lord's furious thoughts.

"Avada Kedavra."

Charity fell from her place in mid-air and crashed onto the table which barely seemed to hold up from the weight of the plummet. Several people scooted back, startled at the sound.

Draco fell from his chair, shuddering.

"Dinner, Nagini." The Dark Lord whispered calmly, staring at her unmoving body as the massive snake slid across the table to the body.

Bellatrix looked away, purely repulsed by the snake which had already clamped its jaws over her feet.

"Good night, Death Eaters. In one week, we will meet again briefly to plan out the night of Harry Potter's departing."

The Death Eaters left the table fervently, ready to get away from the feasting snake.


	28. Chapter 28

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**_

Bellatrix stood proudly at the front of the mass of hooded men, women, and those under the Imperious Curse. They all silently faced their Lord who addressed them as soon as all had arrived.

"I must keep this short because it is dusk already. We think Harry Potter is moving tonight. It will be just him and the Aurors. When they come out they will be surrounded. Get out your wands; we need to be prepared at all times." The Dark Lord commanded. "There are over thirty of us, and only a few of them. No one will kill the boy. Understood? When you have him, I want you to call out for me. As you can tell, I am in no shape to recklessly fly about and risk being caught. As unlikely as that is anyways, there is always the risk. Now cover your faces, keep your hoods up—"

"They are outside with brooms!" screamed a Death Eater as she pointed to the muggle house.

Indeed, there was a group outside the home, but there were much more Aurors than any of the Death Eaters had expected—nearly fifteen more.

"Stay back!" hissed the Dark Lord. "Rise when they are in the air. Surround them!"

It appeared as though all of the people on the lawn mounted their brooms.

Bellatrix swung the broom between her legs and rose a foot or two off of the ground—enthusiastic to rid her master of his massive burden.

"RISE!" bellowed the Dark Lord's high, cold voice from the darkness.

The Death Eaters all left the ground in one fluid motion. They encircled the hefty crowd of Aurors, though, what they found surprised them greatly. Each Death Eater exchanged tense glances with another as the members of the Order gaped, frightened at the new block in their path.

Bellatrix screamed a Killing Curse at a member of the Order and then stunning spells at random Harry Potters. Her spells missed because the Order and the seven Potters picked up speed rapidly, soaring into the night. Bellatrix rounded abruptly and followed the pink hair she knew best—Nyphadora Tonks.

"Stupify! _Stupify!_" Nyphadora screamed blindly over her shoulder.

Bellatrix deflected the spells with ease. Another Death Eater flew at Bellatrix's side at that moment. Rodolphus Lestrange shot a smile at Bellatrix.

Enraged at the thought that he assumed she needed help, Bellatrix sped up, struggling to hex Nymphadora along the way. Rodolphus shot a jinx at Harry Potter's broom, but the spell missed and hit a tree in the distance.

Nymphadora looked over her shoulder and her eyes widened at the sight of the two Death Eaters on her tail. She raised her wand again and cursed the second Death Eater.

Bellatrix took advantage of the brief distraction and caught up with the Harry Potter that was with her niece. She lunged her whole body forward, her fingers tickled the end of the broom. She sped her broom up slightly, she lunged again and grabbed the bristly back of his broom and yanked. The Harry gripped his broom tighter and gathered as much speed as he could. Bellatrix cackled gleefully, still latched on to his broom, tugging to get to his clothes.

Nyphadora raised her wand, hissed a short spell and then stabbed Bellatrix with the white-hot tip of her wand, blistering her aunt's pale skin.

Bellatrix screamed, "BLOOD-TRAITOR! Avada Kedevra!" Bellatrix's spell missed Nymphadora by a hair's length.

Bellatrix looked down at her hand which had a searing purple, red, and pink blister in the fleshy skin beside her thumb. She cradled her left hand in her velvet cloak and shot furiously forward.

"That's him! It's him! The real one!" came a voice in the distance.

Bellatrix's head swiveled in the voice's direction, straining her eyes and ears, but she could nor see or hear anything in the heavy black night.

When she turned back, a sparkly orange spell was flying at her face. Bellatrix deflected the spell quickly without any thought.

"I will destroy you Nymphadora!" Bellatrix screeched angrily.

"You cannot do anything Bellatrix!" Nyphadora replied, panting.

"Avada Kedevra!" Bellatrix pointed her wand at her niece's head, shaking wrathfully.

Nyphadora, about twenty feet ahead, swerved her broom and let the spell fade into the sky. The 'Harry' stayed beside Nyphadora but was visible shaking and trembling with fear.

Another Death Eater materialized beside Bellatrix. She had no thought of who it could be, but she kept her mind set on attacking and killing Nymphadora Tonks.

"That's not the real Harry Potter; we can do as we please!" Rabastan's voice rasped from behind his cloak.

"I'm ahh—" Bellatrix's sentence was lost as she sinuously dodged another Stunning Spell from the boy. It seemed to have hit the unaware Rabastan because she heard a noise and then nothing. She glanced behind her and saw him falling stiffly to the ground.

Nyphadora's and the 'Harry's brooms dropped and they rocketed straight towards the ground, the night engulfed their bodies in one enormous swallow.

Bellatrix shrieked angrily and swooped down sightlessly after them. When she knew they were out of her grasp, she howled viciously and landed on the ground. She looked around for a few minutes to find where she was and then rose back into the air, in search of her Master.

xxxxxxxxxx

Bellatrix scowled from her chair in Narcissa's living room. She crossed her arms across her chest and sucked on her bottom lip. _How could I lose her trail? How?!_

Narcissa crossed her legs and summoned her house elf.

"Bring some tea for my sister and I."

The house elf bowed deeply and exited the room.

"Bellatrix, you were trying to fulfill your duty," comforted Narcissa.

"Where is my Lord? I must speak with him immediately!" Bellatrix bellowed, ignoring her sister's attempt to make her feel better.

"The tea Missus Malfoy." The small voice of the house elf interrupted Narcissa. The elf handed Bellatrix a cup and then a cup to Narcissa.

"Be away from my sight! I want to speak with Cissy privately!" shooed Bellatrix.

Narcissa pursed her lips and looked at her foolish sister.

"Where is my Lord?" Bellatrix asked Narcissa. Bellatrix knew he was here because she had found him frustrated with several other Death Eaters. He said Harry Potter defied him once more and that he had to return to the Malfoy Manor at once. Once she apparated there, however, she found no sign of him.

Narcissa leaned in her chair to Bellatrix. "He is in the basement with his prisoner."

It had occurred to Bellatrix that they did have a prisoner in the manor but she had never tried to figure out who it was. "What is the captive's name?"

A scream of misery echoed from below their feet.

Narcissa cringed and whispered, "Ollivander."

Bellatrix's black eyes widened. "Ollivander? The man from the wand shop? What does the Dark Lord need of him?"

"Because my wand has a connection with Potter's, you know this, Bella." The Dark Lord stood in the doorway of the room. He sideways glanced at Narcissa. "Lucius's wand has been destroyed." He handed the splintered wand to Narcissa.

Narcissa's face paled drastically as she looked at the heartstring that held the two fragmented pieces together.

"Potter's wand spun in his fingers and ruined it." The Dark Lord's fist slammed down onto the side table beside him. "It's as though the connection still exists! I even used a different wand! What has happened?"

Bellatrix frowned and looked at her Master.

"Narcissa, it will be required that I use your home from now forward. The other Death Eaters will stay at the cottage but I will stay here." The Dark Lord's red eyes held Narcissa's.

Narcissa nodded obediently and she looked at her hands. Her long white-blonde hair covered most of her face when she looked down.

"Master, I can stay here, cant I?" Bellatrix pleaded like a child to her Master.

"Do what you please, Bella. I just need peace for a while as I contemplate a few…ideas." The Dark Lord's eyes fell thoughtfully on the burning hearth.


	29. Chapter 29

_**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**_

With Bellatrix's new house being the Malfoy Manor, she could hear much more stories and updates with her Lord. She could talk to him more easily without needing to plan her meetings out or have to wait for him to request a Death Eater meeting.

A few days later, Bellatrix sat in the sitting room reading in the Daily Prophet about the deaths that were randomly happening to mud-bloods, traitors, and muggles.

"Bella?" the Dark Lord's bitter voice came from the hallway.

"My Lord," Bellatrix cooed back as she strode through the doorway.

"I have a concern that has been irritating me for quite some time now and I thought maybe you would be slightly interested in helping me mend it."

"My Lord?" Bellatrix repeated earnestly.

"The Minister of Magic, _Scrimageour,_ must be exterminated. Squashed in our hands. The community buzzes with optimistic views. You see Bella? He seems to keep them in light spirits. I do not believe it has occurred to him that we are real; we are here to destroy the foundation he treads on…would you rid of him for me?" The Dark Lord spoke as though his question were everyday conversation. When he noticed her questioning look, he commented, "I am going on a trip to find the foreign wand-maker, Gregorvich. I am in dire need of his expertise."

"Of course, my Lord, anything you wish." Bellatrix bowed to her master gratefully. Her eyes watered with delighted tears.

"Very nice. I must be going now. Keep me happy, Bella, I do not want to hear otherwise." The Dark Lord continued his path down the hallway with his deep purple colored cloak swishing on the ground behind him.

"Rodolphus! Come with me! Come!" Bellatrix roared from the front door.

Rodolphus stomped down the stairs and halted on the last one. "Bella, what do you need?"

"We are going to bring down the Ministry, and you must come with me. We will see Yaxley there and Pius is still under the Imperious Curse. Come at once!" She grabbed his fore arm and side-along apparated with him into the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic.

The pair rushed to the fire that could only operate within the Ministry. Bellatrix grabbed a fistful of the emerald dust and sprinkled it quickly into the fire. "Yaxley's office!" Bellatrix shouted at the fire as she stepped in.

The Atrium and the fireplace's bricks swirled around her. When she landed on her feet, she was facing Yaxley's desk and Rodolphus was right behind her.

Yaxley rose immediately form his desk and hissed, "why have you come to the Ministry? Do you know how much trouble and uproar this could cause?" Yaxley panicked for a moment. "You are putting a lot of things at risk! I—"

"We are here on the Dark Lord's orders Yaxley, and we are here to…promote you to Minister of Magic." Bellatrix's hand glided over the back of a chair. Her rings sparkled in the lone light that sat on Yaxley's desk.

"What do you mean?" Yaxley's eyes narrowed as he looked from Bellatrix to Rodolphus.

"We are here to kill the Minister of Magic and replace him with you. We will need Pius and you to meet us here in…what Bella? Three minutes?" Rodolphus looked at his wife smugly.

"Sounds reasonable. Fetch Pius Thicknesse!" Bellatrix demanded, pointing her finger at the clouded-glass door.

Yaxley muttered under his breath as shuffled from the room.

He returned immediately with Pius who seemed completely unaware to his surroundings.

"Bellatrix! Oh and Rodolphus! What a pleasure to see—" Pius said, thoroughly charmed.

"We should Floo ourselves into his office, I will go first to make sure no one is in there when we go in. I will 'accidentally' throw a quill through the fire that will be connected to this room. When you get it, come immediately." Yaxley removed a quill from his cup of assorted feathered and non-feathered quills and stepped into the fire, shouting "Scrimageour's office!"

In no less than thirty seconds, a brown and black quill appeared from the flames, faintly singed from the fire.

"Get in! Get in!" hissed Bellatrix hurriedly to the two men as she pushed them into the green flames.

The three swirled through nowhere and landed softly in the office of Rufus Scrimageor who, like Yaxley, rose swiftly from his desk in alarm and instant recognition. He looked at his desk and then at their faces, trying to come up with something to save him from what he knew was inevitable.

"Are you here to find out where Harry Potter is?" His panicked rough voice bounced off of the white walls.

Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Pius, and Yaxley raised their wands at Scrimageour.

Rodolphus held out an arm before Bellatrix and cocked his head. "Yes."

Bellatrix caught on immediately, excited to find out something and help her Master even more. "Where is the boy?" She shrieked.

"I saw him at the Weasley's home!" Scrimageour wiped his forehead and uneasily continued. "Albus gave him a snitch…and he is there…trust me!"

Bellatrix faked a smile, "Why should we?"

"Because! I have to have contact with him…I…please don't kill me!" Scrimageour's old, wrinkled and gruff face contorted with genuine fear.

Bellatrix cackled. "Avada Kedevra!" The Curse glided smoothly off of her tongue and the green light flashed in the room, illuminating every crevice and corner. Scrimageour fell limply and pathetically back into his chair, and then he slid down onto the floor. Only his lifeless hand could be seen from around the desk.

Yaxley let out a surprised gasp but passed it off as a deep breath of air.

"We must leave! Surely some one saw the light through the glass! Be gone!" Yaxley and pushed himself into the flames and Bellatrix was right behind him.

They all landed in Yaxley's office, stumbling over each other as they scrambled to put more Floo powder into the fire.

"Atrium!" Bellatrix screamed to the fire as she jumped in.

The Atrium was still practically empty as they tore out of the fireplace. Bellatrix turned on the spot once Rodolphus was out of the fire and tossed in more of the powder. She figured since the Ministry would probably not be monitoring anything right now since they had just suffered a great loss, they could go immediately to the Manor.

She grabbed Rodolphus and they disapparated out of the Ministry and into the Malfoy Manor.

"My Lord!" Bellatrix's voice rang through the house.

"Is the deed done, Bella?" The Dark Lord's eyes glimmered from Bellatrix to Rodolphus.

"Yes, My Lord, _and more!_" Her voice was rich with emotion; she leaned towards her Lord, eager to inform him of what she and the others had heard.

"Go on." The Dark Lord's crimson eyes fell on her and stared into her face.

"My Lord, Harry Potter is with the blood-traitor Weasleys!" Bellatrix took in a deep, elated breath and laughed intensely.

"Very nice Bella and Rodolphus. I will send demands out at once!" Voldemort touched his mark ever so gently with his index and middle fingers.

In a matter of ten seconds, Death Eaters were apparating into the room left and right.

Narcissa entered the hallway, startled at the company she now had on her doorstep, in her seating room, and in her dining room.

When they had all gathered in one room, the Dark Lord's voice echoed out, silencing any jabber at once.

"Harry Potter is at the comfort of the Weasley home as we speak. We must surprise them. Disapparate from here now! Find the boy and bring him here to me! If he is not there at the moment, I want you to wait for him to arrive! Watch the family, track movements and search the surrounding locations. Leave! Now!" The pitch of his voice frightened many Death Eaters.

As quickly as they had come, the crowd had gone too.

"Bellatrix, stay back, I may need you…"

Bellatrix's heart dropped a little but she remembered what she had done already, thrilling her with joy.

Draco walked past the two quickly, hoping he would not be discovered. His hopes fell to the ground when Narcissa called him into the room to discuss idle matters with the Dark Lord while they waited for the real news.

About an hour later, Rowle apparated into the room with a _pop_ and the grave look on his face only meant bad news for the Dark Lord.

"My Lord?"

"Rowle, where is the boy?" The Dark Lord's eyes pierced through him and made him look down in shame. "_Where is Harry Potter?_"

"He…He has escaped from our grasp."

The Dark Lord stood from the wooden chair and faced the man full-on. Without changing his stare he said, "Draco, seeing as you did not actually _kill_ Albus Dumbledore, I have something you _can_ do for me."

Narcissa squealed fearfully.

"Yes Master?" Draco's soft voice was barely audible.

"Crucio him. Now." The Dark Lord's voice was calm but angry.

Trembling, Draco raised his wand and looked at Rowle, who knew he could not do anything to defend himself, because using his wand was out of the question.

"Crucio!" Draco pointed at the man, and focused on angry thoughts. He focused on enjoying the pain he was causing Rowle just as his father had taught him.

Rowle writhed on the floor. Every vein ballooned from his skin, blue and purple. His head jerked backwards when he yelled out in agony, blood vessels exploded from his neck. His arms stiffly wrenched in the air almost like he was having a fit.

The Dark Lord held up a hand for Draco to stop. His rage had filled his body now. "More, Rowle, or shall we end it and feed you to Nagini? Lord Voldemort is not sure that he will forgive you this time." The Dark Lord fingered his wand in his pocket and crinkled his face in disgust. "You called me back for this, to tell me that Harry Potter has escaped again? Draco…Give Rowle another taste of our displeasure." Draco hesitated nervously. "Do it or feel my wrath yourself!"

Draco looked at his mother who had whitened to the color of their china dinner plates and nodded her head. He turned to back down at Rowle who was begging at the Dark Lord's feet for mercy.

"I—I did the best I could! There was a party! He was lost in the crowd! I swear!" implored the sobbing Rowle.

Draco pointed his wand again at Rowle and shuddered. "Crucio!"

Bellatrix leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows, proud to call him her nephew.

"_Enough._ Get out of my sight. I want you to search all of the area, go into shops, restaurants, homes. Find him. _FIND HIM!_" Seething, the Dark Lord left the room.

Bellatrix sneered at Rowle. "Get out of this house!"


	30. Chapter 30

_**CHAPTER THIRTY **_

The Ministry had now fallen into the hands of the Dark Lord. Pius Thicknesse was made the Minister of Magic, many were under the Imperious Curse just like the new Minister, and the Order seemed to be crumbling. When the wizarding community did not think that things for them could be worse, the Death Eaters began purging them of mud-bloods.

Posters were made with lists of who has not registered themselves as muggle-borns or proved that they are pureblood. Any muggle-born, despite being registered, was accused of stealing magic from another wizard or witch and had their own wand taken from them. Students at Hogwarts had their blood status checked before they could enter because now, Hogwarts was a pureblood only school.

Voldemort had everything he ever wanted in the palm of his hand—even Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With Pius as the new Minister, Minerva McGonagall was pushed out of her seat as Headmaster and replaced by the one and only Severus Snape.

Bellatrix sat down at the breakfast table across from Narcissa, who was drinking her tea calmly and looking through the Daily Prophet.

"Where is the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix demanded, not caring anymore that she was in her sister's house.

Narcissa, still sipping her tea, looked up at her and set her drink on the plate. "He is in Germany, still trying to find Gregorvich."

Bellatrix frowned, remembering what he had told her the day before. "I—"

The front door slammed open with a loud bang a few rooms away.

Startling Narcissa, she spilled her cup of tea and yelped.

Bellatrix yanked out her wand from her inside cloak pocket and pointed it at the kitchen door. Her black eyes stayed fixed on the white paneled door.

The footsteps tromped down the hallway, opening every door on its way. When the kitchen door did finally open, Yaxley appeared from the other side. His face was panic stricken, angry, and very, very upset.

"The Ministry—the Dark Lord—need him!" gasped Yaxley. He looked around the kitchen, desperate to find his Master.

Bellatrix still had her wand pointed at his chest. "He is in Germany!" She lifted her chin. "What has happened?"

"Harry Potter and his two little friends entered the Ministry of Magic!" Yaxley exclaimed.

"_What?!"_ Narcissa and Bellatrix gaped.

"But there has been a positive turn of events in this mess!" Yaxley said semi-brightly, despite their utter shock.

"Oh, this had better be good," Bellatrix answered in a dangerously low voice. She still had her wand pointed at him.

"D'ya mind putting that down?" Yaxley asked, looking at the weapon in his face nervously.

"Yes," snarled Bellatrix.

Yaxley frowned at the wand and then took a deep breath to continue. "I remember the Dark Lord saying how now that Sirius Black is dead, you were supposed to be the heir to receive the Grimmauld Place house…but instead it was willed to his godson, Harry Potter."

"What about that wreck?" hissed Bellatrix.

"Well, I was apparated into the place when I grabbed onto Runc---er--Harry Potter's shirt when the Granger girl was helping them get away! I can take you there now! Wasn't it an Order meeting place if I am not mistaken?" Yaxley took pride in his discovery beamed at the two.

Narcissa shook her head slowly. "It _was_ an Order hiding place, Yaxley, but now it is not because the boy would have told everyone by now about what has happened. We have no use for the place, but it is comforting to know that we now have another token of our succeeding from the Order." Narcissa shot down Yaxley's high hopes. "Now, what happened at the Ministry? You said Harry Potter and company got in?"

Yaxley hesitated. "They clearly drank Polyjuice Potion because Potter changed into Albert Runcorn, the mud-blood Granger changed into Malfalda Hopkirk, and Weasley morphed himself into Reg Cattermole." Yaxley's voice dropped to just above a whisper, "they freed many mud-bloods."

Bellatrix screamed furiously. "WHAT?! YOU LET THEM ALL SLIP THROUGH YOUR FINGERS, YAXLEY?!"

Yaxley cringed just like Wormtail would have done. "Well—I—uh…they were disguised, you see…"

"IT'S HARRY POTTER! HE IS A TEENAGER! A TEENAGER PILFERED THROUGH THE MINISTRY AND YOU JUST STOOD THERE LIKE AN IDIOT!" Bellatrix's voice echoed through the home.

Yaxley began to get upset. He pulled at the collar of his shirt. "They looked just like any other Ministry worker, and anyone can do it, Bellatrix. I was not going to immediately say that it was them when rumors said that he had left the country!" spat Yaxley.

Bellatrix poked her wand into his chest, "question the house elf of Grimmauld Place…Kreacher I think." Her eyes narrowed at his and she poked the wand into his chest further before removing it.

"How dare you think you can give me orders! You are no Lord!" Yaxley growled.

"DO AS I SAY OR YOU CAN SUFFER MY ANGER THROUGH MAGIC!" screamed Bellatrix.

"What are you going to do? Crucio me?" Yaxley cocked his head, challenging her.

"GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE! UNWORTHY OF OUR HOME! GET. OUT. _NOW_!" Bellatrix's mad face had purpled and her finger shook with fury as she pointed at the door.

Yaxley took a step back and sneered, "I will go, and I will question this—creature—but when I return to the Dark Lord, you will see that all of the advancements will be made because of me. Just you watch!" With that, Yaxley exited the room with his head lowered, no doubt returning to the Ministry to help clear up the chaos.

Narcissa looked away from her livid sister to the Daily Prophet on the table. It had a picture of a glowering Harry Potter with, in big letters, **Undesirable No. 1**, printed below it. Narcissa turned the paper over and returned her sentimental gaze to Bellatrix.

Bellatrix was about to leave the house, but as she grabbed onto the doorknob of the front door, it turned without her doing so. She stepped back as the door swung open, revealing her Dark Lord under his heavy, silk cloak.

"Bella, fetch me Narcissa and Lucius and then join me in the seating room." The Dark Lord pushed past her.

Bellatrix walked back into the kitchen and told Narcissa to follow. She went upstairs and got Lucius from the study and told him to follow also.

Once they were all seated in the front room, Bellatrix asked, "My Lord, why have you come back from Germany so early?"

The Dark Lord pulled a golden cup from his pocket. It was encircled in red, green, blue and white jewels and wonderfully elaborate carvings. Bellatrix was enchanted by its beauty. "My Lord…"

"This," The Dark Lord said, caressing the cup, "Is the goblet of Helga Hufflepuff. I…" the Dark Lord paused as he looked at his reflection. "…found it on my search for Gregorvich. I need a place to put it and I thought the only suitable, safe, and secure place to put it would be your vault in Gringotts. I know your father gave both of you a vault down there to share," the Dark Lord said, indicating to Bellatrix and Narcissa. "I will come with Lucius there because I do not want anyone else to touch or find it carelessly. It needs to stay hidden, just as I have done with the sword of Godric Gryffindor."

Bellatrix smiled with remembrance. Two Hogwarts students tried to steal it from Snape's office but they were caught and it was put in the vault of Severus's. The lonely, empty vault.

"Lucius, we must leave now."

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius bowed when he stood up.

Narcissa put a hand on Bellatrix's arm and made eye contact with her.

"I am honored you would trust to put your valuables in the Lestrange-Malfoy vault!" declared Bellatrix nobly. "But my Lord, Harry Potter was sighted again in the Ministry…"

"Thank you Bella, but this _must_ be hidden!" The Dark Lord stood. "Come, Lucius, we must be swift with our actions."

Lucius and the Dark Lord apparated separately from the room, leaving Narcissa and Bellatrix alone once more.

A/N: you have to remember that throughout the book, Bellatrix stays oblivious to how much the cup really means to Voldemort and no one except for Severus Snape knows what exactly the Dark Lord is out to find. (the Elder Wand.)


	31. Chapter 31

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**_

The Dark Lord paced the sitting room, mumbling to himself and shaking his head. "Again! _Again!_" He threw his hands in the air and swore. "How is this happening? I cannot be doing anything wr—"

"My Lord," Bellatrix purred as she came bowing into the room. "What displeases you so?"

The Dark Lord shook a white, bony fist. "Harry Potter!" He slammed his fist on the coffee table and shook everything that rested on it. "I knew he would do it! He went back to Godric's Hollow. You see, Bella? He wanted to see his _home_. I was prepared though, something he did not expect. Nagini resided in Bathilda Bagshot's old body!" the Dark Lord flickered a smile and stroked his wand. "It took powerful magic to do that…something only I can do…"

"I remember, my Lord!" Bellatrix nodded vigorously. "Where is he? _Where is the boy?_" Bellatrix crawled across the floor to her Master, terrified of his rage, but longing so greatly to be near him.

"Granger! Granger took him from me! Brat!" the Dark Lord shouted. "First," the Dark Lord hissed, "he got into the Ministry of Magic! I do not lie when I say, that was not expected of him." The Dark Lord's vicious eyes narrowed. "Second, he is sighted—only briefly!—at Xenophilius Lovegood's house!—"

"But my Lord! We declared that a fake! We know it! Lovegood just wants his dear old daughter back safely." Bellatrix smirked. Then Bellatrix murmured to herself, "Though, they did say they were quite sure it was him…then again…the house was blown to bits!"

The Dark Lord snarled, "Third, he vulnerably follows Bathilda Bagshot home because why should there be a threat in such an old, withering woman? He did not expect to see that my Nagini possessed her body. How did he escape?" the Dark Lord's question was rhetorical, but Bellatrix did not notice.

"The Granger mud-blood filth was said to be," Bellatrix batted her eyelashes. "_The best in her class!" _ Bellatrix spat onto the floor.

"That does not matter!" The Dark Lord's nails broke the skin on his palms. "Nagini was holding his helpless body tight…ahhh…." The Dark Lord smiled.

"My Lord?" Bellatrix looked up at her Master, who had his head thrown back, laughing.

"If Harry Potter is the only one who thinks he is brave enough to say my name…I will just have to Taboo it! Lord Voldemort will be Taboo-ed!" The Dark Lord grinned as he looked at his faithful servant.

A questionable look covered her face. _Taboo?_ "My Lord, forgive me. What do you mean by 'Taboo?'"

"Bellatrix," his face softened, "anyone who challenges themselves to say my real name aloud, will be very shocked when they find a group of Snatchers knocking on their front door. It should be easier now, finding Mr. Potter." The Dark Lord frowned slightly and looked at the mirror above the mantel. "Bella, keep the cup and the sword safe. I have something else I need to find. I may return in a few days." The Dark Lord disapparated before Bellatrix could even nod a reply.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Bellatrix sat up straight from the seat in front of her night-table. She had been combing out her hair for the night before she would undress when she heard banging, shouting and arguing from downstairs. She strained her ears but heard calm talking now. _Odd…_ She rose from her seat, letting the chair merely fall to the floor behind her. She stepped down the stairs and saw three people on their knees: a brown haired girl, a brown haired boy, a redhead boy, fat and pudgy, and a black haired boy who seemed to be rather large like his friend, there was also a goblin. She then noticed Fenrir, Scabior, two other Snatchers who were facing her sister, Draco, and Lucius.

"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?" Bellatrix stepped cautiously down the last few steps, picked up her skirt, and strode to take a spot right beside the fat boy. Her gaze fell upon the girl. "But surely…this is the mud-blood girl? This is Granger?"

"Yes, yes, its Granger! And beside her, we think, Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!" Lucius said ecstatically.

Bellatrix took a step back with her eyes fixed on his pudgy forehead. "Potter? Are you sure? Well then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!" Bellatrix yanked back her sleeve when Lucius grabbed her arm.

"I was about to call him! I shall summon him, Bella! Potter has been brought to my house; it is therefore upon my authority—" Lucius bellowed, his face flushed.

Bellatrix struggled to break free of Lucius's forceful grip. "Your authority! You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!"

Narcissa clasped her son's shoulder.

"This has nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy!" Lucius boomed, struggling to protect himself from Bellatrix's free arm that was swatting him.

"Begging your pardon, _Mr_. Malfoy," Fenrir Greyback snarled angrily, "but it's us that caught Potter, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold!"

Bellatrix jammed her hand into her cloak's pocket, trying to find her wand. "Gold? Take your gold, filthy scavenger, what do I want with gold? I seek only the honor of his…" Bellatrix's eyes fixed upon a sword that one of the Snatchers was holding—a sword that was identical to the one inside of her vault. "of…" Her thoughts were lost, she searched her mind for ways how it was removed…out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Lucius's hand was dangerously close to his Mark. "STOP!" she screamed, the whole room fell dead quiet. "Do not touch it. We shall all perish if the Dark Lord comes now!" She walked slowly towards the Snatcher behind Harry Potter. She reached out to the sword. "What is that?"

The Snatcher shrugged and held up the heavy sword. "Sword."

Bellatrix reached at it. "Give it to me."

The Snatcher hugged it closer. "It's not yorn, missus, it's mine. I reckon I found it."

Bellatrix's face colored and she stunned the dumb man.

Beside her, Scabior pulled out his wand and pointed it at her. "What'd you think your playing at, woman?" he snarled.

Bellatrix stepped back and then forward, she narrowed her eyes and thrust her wand in his direction and then at the other two's, screeching, "Stupify! Stupify!"

Though, Greyback being part ware-wolf, was forced only to his knees, but thoroughly paralyzed up to his head.

Bellatrix towered over the ware-wolf. Well past upset, she took his wand from his grip. She whispered, "Where did you get this sword?"

"How dare you! Release me, woman!"

"Where did you find this sword? Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!" Bellatrix said, holding the sword so it reflected magnificently in the light.

Greyback frowned thoughtfully and then looked in her eyes. "It was in their tent. Release me I say!"

Bellatrix swished her wand, removing the spell. She looked at the pathetic men that were crumpled to the floor. "Draco, move this scum outside. If you haven't got the guts to finish them, then leave them in the court yard for me."

"Don't you dare speak to Draco like—" Narcissa began, advancing on Narcissa.

Bellatrix jumped back and stared wildly at her sister, "Be quiet! This situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!" Bellatrix fingered the designs on the handle of the sword. She pursed her lips for a second and then glowered at the prisoners. She thought aloud, "if it is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed. The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Potter himself. But if he finds out…I must…I must know…" Bellatrix looked at her sister. "The prisoners must be placed in the cellar while I think what to do!"

Narcissa flushed. "This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my—"

"Do it! You have no idea of the danger we are in!" Bellatrix's wand sparked and singed the carpet at her toes.

"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback." Narcissa ordered hesitantly.

Bellatrix paused. "Wait…All except…" _The girl is probably more likely to give in…_ "Except for the mud-blood."

The red haired boy struggled against his restraints. "NO! You can have me! Keep me!"

Bellatrix turned to face the boy and slapped him across his face as hard as she could. Then, she leaned in close to his wincing face. "If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next. Blood traitor is next to mud-blood in my book. Take them downstairs, Greyback, and make sure they are secure…but do nothing to them…yet…"

Bellatrix reached into her pocket and tossed Greyback's wand back at him. Then, Bellatrix groped around the hidden pocket of her robes and pulled out an old pocket knife that used to be her father's. She bent down, grabbed the girl's frizzy hair, and cut the girl free from her friends. Pulling the mud-blood by the hair, she dragged her to the center of the seating room, beside the fire.

"Please, let me go…" the girl pleaded, with tears falling down her face.

Bellatrix laughed coldly and forced the girls head back. She pointed her wand to her throat and said, "Let's get started…tender you up with a little Crucio's shall I? Refresh your mind before I begin?" Bellatrix hissed, "Crucio!"

The girl let out a terrible blood-curdling scream.

Bellatrix looked over her shoulder at the sounds of the prisoners in the cellar hollering.

"Shut-UP!" Bellatrix hissed again. "_Where did you get the sword?_"

"I—We found it!" sobbed the girl. She wailed again. "P-p-please…Its true…"

"Crucio! Crucio! We can do this all night, mud-blood!" Bellatrix screamed at the purpling face of the writhing girl.

More calls carried out from the cellar.

The girl continued sobbing, barely able to catch her breath.

"Do not lie to me! Where did you find my sword! Where?" Bellatrix flashed the wand if front of the girl's face.

"We found it – we found it – PLEASE!" she screamed again as Bellatrix Crucio-ed her.

Greyback growled. "We found it, girl! _You_ stole it!"

Bellatrix held her knife to the girl's cheek, and then slid it slowly down.

A large, fairly deep gash sliced her face. The girl screamed horribly again.

"I did not steal it! I promise...we found it when we were in the woods!" the girl panicked and made eye contact with Draco, who looked away.

"You are lying, filthy mud-blood and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth! _Tell the truth!_" Bellatrix said fiercely. "Crucio!"

The girl's body wretched on the floor, her knuckles grazing the burning fire beside her.

"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!" Bellatrix shrieked. She stomped her foot as the wand shot the curse at the girl.

Of course, there was no verbal answer from the girl's split-lipped mouth, only screams that echoed around the house, deafening every one who stood in the room watching, waiting for the girl to give up everything and tell Bellatrix where she got her treasure.

Bellatrix held the Curse for a longer period of time than normal. Veins, just like all of the other victims that were in her grasp before, laced out of the girls skin creating delicate webs of various shades of blues and purples up and down her neck, her arms, and legs.

Narcissa could only look away, horrified at the extremes her sister was going to with a child.

Bellatrix screamed again, "How did you get into my vault? Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?"

The girl, crippled on the floor cried, "We only met him tonight! We've never been inside your vault. It isn't the real sword! It's a copy, just a copy!"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes dramatically. "A copy? Oh, a likely story!"

Lucius stepped forward, his eyes never leaving the girl, "But we can find out easily! Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!"

Draco nodded and walked to the cellar door as he was told.

Bellatrix looked down at the girl, who was still sobbing at her feet repeating, "Please…please…"

"Get off of me! Crucio!" Bellatrix kicked the girl from her feet and she began twisting again.

The girl now had noticeable purple, black, and blue bruises spotting her body. Both her top and bottom lips were split, each at least three or four times, and she was hastily losing her energy.

A loud crack came from the cellar.

"What was that?" Lucius shouted, somewhat startled, looking at Bellatrix. "Did you hear that? What was that noise in the cellar?"

Bellatrix listened carefully, but scowled when Lucius talked again.

"Draco – no, call Wormtail! Make him go and check!"

Wormtail scuttled into the sitting room and looked from Granger to Lucius, to Bellatrix. Lucius pointed at the door and Wormtail's head bowed. He brandished his wand and opened the door, talking to the prisoners below.

The room stayed quiet for a second. When they heard nothing, Lucius called, "What is it, Wormtail?"

"Nothing! All fine!" Wormtail's reply came from below.

Bellatrix looked again at the girl. She was lying a foot or two from her, breathing, and she looked as though she was sleeping. Bellatrix's gaze then fell on the Goblin she almost forgot about. She handed the sword to him and let the goblin stair at it for a minute.

It's eyes lingered on the name etched into the blade: "Godric Gryffindor." And his fingers ran over the jewels and swirls in the metal.

"Well? Is it a true sword?" Bellatrix asked anxiously.

"No. It is a fake." The goblin rasped.

Bellatrix put a hand over her heart that was beating very, very heavily in her chest. "Are you sure?" She eyed the goblin suspiciously. "Quite sure?"

"Yes." The goblin said simply.

"Good." Bellatrix's shoulder's dropped. She slashed the goblin's face with a wordless _diffindo_ and pushed him out of her way. She planted herself in the very center of the room and swelled with anticipation and greed. "And now, we call the Dark Lord!" She touched her index finger to the Mark and threw her head back at the tingling that spread up her shoulders and into her neck.

"And I think," Bellatrix said as she casually looked at the dying girl, "we can dispose of the mud-blood. Greyback, take her if you want her."

"NOOOOOOO!!!!" came a voice from right behind Bellatrix and the others.

the red-haired boy sprinted into the room, holding a wand of his own before him.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted at Bellatrix before anyone could react.

Her wand flew from her hand and was caught by a much more thinned out version of the Harry Potter that was in the room before.

Harry pointed Bellatrix's wand at Lucius, who was reaching in his pocket for his own. Lucius collapsed on the floor.

Draco, Narcissa, and Greyback all sent howling spells at the two boys.

Bellatrix lifted their beloved mud-blood onto her legs and pressed the girl's back against her chest with her knife at the girl's throat. "STOP OR SHE DIES!" Bellatrix stared at Harry Potter and then the Weasley boy. Quietly, she spoke again; sure she had their attention, "Drop your wands. Drop them, or we'll see exactly how filthy her blood is!" Neither of the boys let go of the wands they were wielding, so she pressed harder at the girl's throat to show them what she meant. "I said drop them!"

"All right!" Harry Potter yelled, staring directly at the knife as Bellatrix's wand fell to the floor.

The Weasley boy did exactly as Potter did, wordlessly.

"Good! Draco, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter! Your death approaches!" Bellatrix shrieked. She lowered her voice, "Now. Cissy, I think we ought to tie these little heroes up again, while Greyback takes care of Miss Mud-blood. I am sure the Dark Lord will not begrudge you the girl, Greyback, after what you have done tonight."

A strange noise came from above Bellatrix's head. When she looked up, the chandelier was tinkling and then the plaster gave way. Bellatrix screeched and jumped out of the way, leaving the mud-blood behind her.

She stood up and shook crystal shards from her dress and hair. She still held the knife ferociously in her fist.

"Dobby!" Narcissa screamed, her wand pointed at the archway to the hall.

Bellatrix stopped her seething for a split second to turn and see the Malfoy's old house elf. Everything in the room seemed to have frozen.

"You! _ You_ dropped the chandelier?" Narcissa asked, quite astonished.

"You must not hurt Harry Potter," Dobby said, looking directly at Bellatrix's dark, cruel eyes.

"Kill him Cissy!" Bellatrix screamed at her sister who was still taken aback.

Another crack echoed in the room and Narcissa's wand went flying from Bellatrix's immediate view.

"You dirty little monkey!" Bellatrix hissed, stepping closer to Dobby. "How dare you take a witch's wand, how dare you defy your masters?"

The house-elf frowned. "Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"

Harry Potter and the Weasley boy began to stir. Potter called out, "Ron, catch…and GO!"

Very quickly, Potter had tossed the other boy a wand and then pulled the goblin from the wreckage. The Weasley boy, holding the mud-blood, and Potter and his goblin, grabbed onto the elf. The elf pulled them with as he turned to disapparate from the Malfoy home.

Bellatrix, reacting on only what she had to work with, threw the knife at Dobby, and when it did not hit the other wall, she knew she got him. He got exactly what he deserved.

xxxx

"You have called upon me to tell me that Harry Potter was here right before I came?" the Dark Lord shouted. "Harry Potter STOOD IN THIS VERY ROOM WITH ALL OF HIS LITTLE FRIENDS, SURROUNDED BY FIVE VERY CAPAPLE WITCHES AND WIZARDS, BUT YET _SOMEHOW_ HE AND HIS TWO TEENAGE FRIENDS ESCAPED?! AND EVEN BEFORE THEY WERE BROUGHT UP…RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES, ALL, _ALL_ OF THE PRISONERS BELOW US ESCAPED?"

The Dark Lord stood very close to Narcissa and whispered, "When I last checked, you were all Death Eaters. All of whom are well trained, somewhat intelligent," the Dark Lord glanced at Fenrir. "And a band of teenagers can get past you?"

"My Lord," Lucius began.

The Dark Lord rounded on him. "How dare you even speak to me? Yet again, he falls through your useless, empty fingers. IN YOUR OWN HOME! And you know—they killed Wormtail? Peter Pettigrew…how is it that you cannot even kill a mud-blood but they can kill one of my most loyal servants?" the Dark Lord swung his right arm and knocked down an heirloom of the Blacks'. It fell to the floor and broke into thousands of tiny triangles and dust, adding to the room that was already destroyed.

Narcissa squealed and looked at the shattered pieces.

"Dispicable." The Dark Lord snarled.

Bellatrix shuddered, looking down at her wandless hands, ashamed at how her moment of triumph had crashed so hard right before her very eyes.


	32. Chapter 32

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**_

"My L-Lord," the goblin bowed when he apparated into the room.

About two weeks later, in the same sitting room where Harry Potter defied them, Bellatrix, Lucius, Rodolphus, and many other Death Eaters stood, facing the Dark Lord and the little imp crouched on the floor. The fire blazed angrily and noisily behind them, warming the Death Eater's backs and illuminating the Dark Lord's bright skin in the dark room. The goblin, however, was hunched over in their shadows, his head was only high enough to see the Dark Lord's knees, yet he looked at his feet—too petrified to peek up.

"What are you doing here? We did not call for you!" the Dark Lord said coldly, terrifying the goblin with every word he spoke to him.

The goblin trembled from head to foot. "I have some v-very b-bad news…regarding the L-Lestrange vault…" The goblin made it his best effort not to look the Dark Lord in the eyes, for rumors said that one look into them and you would be dead. Instead, he watched himself knead his hands.

Narcissa and Bellatrix made identical moves: both stepped forward, craning their neck to hear absolutely ever stutter from the goblin in the already dead-silent room. Bellatrix's black, heavily lidded eyes fixated on the back, bald side of the goblin's wrinkly brown head.

"Well?" the Dark Lord said, he was determined not to hear what he thought was coming. The goblin now had every ounce of the Dark Lord's attention.

"M-my L-Lord, you m-must understand, s-sir, we d-did the b-best we could!" the goblin stammered feebly. He shook his head and memorized every crook in the floorboards.

"What? What happened?" the Dark Lord became flustered; he pulled out his wand inch by inch from his pocket.

"There were imposters in the vault!" the goblin cried out very quickly.

The Dark Lord cocked his head. "What did you say to me?" He stared down at the goblin irately. In a dangerously low voice he whispered, "Say it again! _Say it again!_"

"M-my Lord…m-my Lord…we t-tried t-to st-stop them…Imp-impostors, my Lord…broke—broke into the—" the goblin's voice wavered with terror, "into the Lestranges' v-vault!"

The Dark Lord looked floored with the information. "Imposters? What imposters? I thought Gringotts had ways of revealing imposters? Who were they?"

"It was…it was…the P-Potter b-boy and t-two accomplices…" the goblin still did not look up.

"_And they took?_" the Dark Lord rasped angrily.

The goblin shuddered awfully.

"Tell me! _What did they take?_" the Dark Lord demanded. His wand was shakily pointed directly at the goblin.

"A…a s-small golden c-cup, m-my Lord." The goblin whimpered.

The Dark Lord screamed out as he swished his new wand through the air—killing the goblin on the moment.

Bellatrix pushed Lucius back as she raced through the room—desperate to get out, to escape before he starts killing others in his unmistakable minute of rage.

In the dining room, Bellatrix, Rodolphus and the Malfoys seated herself, shivering a little bit. Normally, she would have ran from the house in general, but seeing as she and the Malfoy's had shamed their families so deeply, they were forbidden to leave the household until further notice by the Dark Lord. When what was left of the Death Eaters joined them around the oak table, some with cuts, gashes, bruises and tears, the Dark Lord walked in momentarily.

Quietly, he spoke to the small group, "I am leaving now. There are things I must do, things that I have to accomplish alone. It may be a while before I return." He made eye contact with Bellatrix before he swirled around into a thin wisp of black smoke.

Bellatrix looked, wide eyed, at Narcissa. She could not believe that her vault, Gemino and Flagrante Curses and all, had been broken into by the wretched teenagers who had already ruined so much. She did not believe the goblin when he said that they had only taken the Hufflepuff cup, she was very stuck on the fact that there was more in there that would beg their eyes and their sticky, filthy, bandit fingers. Maybe the cup was all they saw them with. Bellatrix smacked the table, remembering that she could not leave the house, even to check up on her precious valuables. If they can get in there once, there is no doubt they could do it again.

Bellatrix licked her teeth as she stared at the portrait of her immediate family, boasting their majestic blood to all who looked from upon the wall. Her mother had her hand rested firmly on Bellatrix's shoulder and in her other hand she held her would-be blood traitor youngest daughter. Narcissa sat next to Bellatrix with her father's hand on her shoulder as well. They all posed without a smile, Narcissa seemed to not be very interested in staying still because she looked around the canvas a few times.

"Shall we go look at the devastation in our living room?" Narcissa whispered coolly, breaking the hush of the space.

Bellatrix did not even answer; she just rose from her chair and strode from the room. Her sister followed her close behind, looking over Bellatrix's shoulder to see what lies ahead.

Narcissa gasped, "Oh!" and covered her mouth with a delicate, fair hand as she looked down upon the pitiful dead goblin and the others dead on the floor, mostly the nameless new Death Eaters whom joined merely out of fear—ironically thinking this would save their unfortunate lives from His merciless wrath.

"What should we do with the bodies?" Narcissa asked her sister.

Bellatrix simply shrugged, making a face unnoticed by her sister. "Throw them outside? Greyback, I'm sure, would appreciate it." She kicked a few bodies out of her path. "Cissy?"

"Yes?" Narcissa replied, moving the dead people out of her way carefully.

"Why do you think the Dark Lord needed that cup?" Bellatrix asked, frowning at her thoughts.

"I think he is trying to collect the House treasures…they could mean something to him…or maybe he is using them as a token…" her eyebrows furrowed with her contemplation. "The messes!" she cried out, frustrated, "they are always in my home! Why not in the cottage?" Narcissa sat down in an armchair and rubbed her temples.

Bellatrix nearly dropped her wand. She looked up at her collapsed sister with shock. "I am honored to be blessed with the Dark Lord's presence!" She shrieked, "You should be too!"

"Bella, you know what I meant! I am…" Narcissa pursed her lips. "I wonder if he has more plans for Draco…"

Bellatrix smiled lightly, "of course he does! Draco is an addition to the loyal Malfoy and Lestrange families! Why wouldn't he?"

Narcissa frowned. "Draco is my son. I do not want him hurt, Bella."

"This _again_? We had it all sorted once you asked that…that…_spy_ to watch him!"

"That was once! Only once!"

Bellatrix eyed her sister. "I am quite sure that you have asked him to watch over Draco at Hogwarts."

"In fact, Bellatrix, I have not!" Narcissa stood quickly.

Bellatrix rose from her seat also, daring her sister to say something more.

The sisters made irritated eye-contact before Narcissa left, making her way to the house elf for supper.

Upset at her sister, Bellatrix, without any care, sent the bodies in the room out into the courtyard to rot, waste, and wait for someone else to properly care for them.


	33. Chapter 33

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**_

Bellatrix's Mark burned with fury. The burn was not painful; it was more exhilarating because they all knew the boy was found and within their grasp.

The black magical ink replaced the fading grey. The snake and the skull were at the moment very evident on her pale complexion. It had even raised a hair's length off of her skin. Bellatrix uncurled and re-curled her fists to move the muscles it sat upon.

"Bellatrix! It came from Hogwarts! Let us go! Find the boy!" Rodolphus shouted into her room. "I know where to go, you just need to come with me!"

The entry way was a flood of black robes and cloaks, bustling with Death Eaters who were apparating and disapparating, all trying to find information about what was happening.

Bellatrix went down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her over to where Rodolphus stood, waiting for her to come.

Rodolphus held out his arm and let her grasp it hurriedly. He turned on his heel and they disapparated into a swirling warp.

They landed softly on the dirt of the Forbidden Forest. It was thickly wooded and very dark. Creatures were gone and the silence now where they were was very anomalous.

When Bellatrix and Rodolphus strode quickly over to the meeting place, there was already a tight circle of Death Eaters around their Dark Lord. Bellatrix pushed her way through the throng to be closest to him. Everyone glowed orange from the fire that was in the center of the circle. The flames danced joyfully for the Dark Lord.

Above all of the jabber that was coming from the mass, the Dark Lord began speaking softly. Even though his voice was quiet, it severed the clamor in a heartbeat. "We know now that Harry Potter is in Hogwarts. He has no way of getting out now. You must all prepare to battle. We know the professors inside have fortified their walls to withstand our offence, but we can chip away at it faster with these…" the Dark Lord turned and looked right behind where he stood. Where he faced were giants and trolls hidden behind the trees in the dark.

"The trolls and giants can break their protection easier than counter-spells. Though, some may require the simple charms. Let them barricade their school now. It won't last long now."

Bellatrix laughed triumphantly and other Death Eaters sniggered too.

The Dark Lord held up a hand. "Bring me the boy. You may kill all who stand in the way. They can go down with their school—"

"Can I have the dead?" rasped Fenrir Greyback maliciously.

"Do as you wish, Greyback, just keep in mind—I. Want. Potter." The Dark Lord twirled his new wand in his bony, spider-like fingers. He looked in the direction of the school. "They will not last long, so it should not be too difficult to bring him to me. I will give them until midnight—one hour—to bring me the boy before we attack full-on."

He brought his wand to the right pulse on his neck and then his voice boomed, loud and clear into the night. His red eyes focused up at the starry sky when he spoke. "I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers at Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

A Death Eater laughed, causing the Dark Lord to pause.

"Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded." The Dark Lord paused again to impress his last sentence well into the heads of students and professors.

"You have until midnight."

The Death Eaters were silent; many were staring into the fire. They thought about the school they once attended as children. They all were excited to enter when they were children. Although, now, here they stand, preparing to fight, to kill, to diminish their past without any further thought.

"Severus, Lucius."

"My Lord?" the two addressed spoke in unison.

"Come, we will go to the Shrieking Shack until midnight. There are things I need to discuss with the two of you."

Snape and Lucius both took a step forward hesitantly and then briskly walked in the wake of their Master into the great depths of the Forbidden Forest.

When the Dark Lord returned—alone—at the stroke of midnight, he did not raise his eyebrow-less eyebrow skin, he did not frown, in fact, he showed no sign of shock whatsoever. "Potter has not come? Then, we will fight. As I said to you before, bring me Potter unharmed. Kill those who obstruct your task." He looked at each Death Eater. "You may fight." He pointed and motioned at about thirty Death Eaters, none being Bellatrix.

The Death Eaters pulled out their wands around him and turned into the night. Giants stomped beside them, holding clubs and trees in their dirty hands.

The Battle had begun.


	34. Chapter 34

_**CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**_

_**A/N: And here I present, the final chapter to the Story of Bellatrix Lestrange...enjoy it if you will...**__**  
**_

The small clearing was a deafening quiet, but everyone could hear the screams, the cries, and the crashes coming from the castle only a few paces outside of the forest.

By now, the Death Eaters were over taking the school, keeping prisoners and taking lives. Yaxley had captured the big oaf Hagrid and tied him to a giant tree, where he cursed, shouted and moaned.

Still, it seemed, there was no sign of the boy.

Bellatrix was sitting very nobly on her 'throne' of nature beside her majestic, powerful Master. She held her head high as she watched Death Eaters coming and going.

Quite oppositely, the Dark Lord had his head bowed down as though he was deep in thought. He lifted his head slightly to look at Yaxley and Dolohov who were sitting on the ground directly in front of him, and nearest to the trail to the school. "Yaxley, Dolohov," he said in his high, icy voice. "Pace the path, see if he is not coming…"

They both nodded, knowing exactly who 'he' was.

The second hour was nearly up. The last chance for Harry Potter to come and claim his rightful death before the Death Eaters would absolutely destroy the school.

"No sign of him, my Lord." Dolohov came slowly back into the circle, breaking the silence.

The Dark Lord looked straight ahead, flicking his red eyes around the opening.

Bellatrix frowned at the news the two men brought. "My Lord…" she began.

He held up his white, bony hand and hushed her.

"I thought he would come. I expected him." There was no doubt a tone of disappointment in the Dark Lord's voice. His eyes stayed fixed on the orange, glowing fire.

Bellatrix lowered her body by just a fraction, afraid that the Dark Lord would punish them.

"I was, it seems…mistaken." The Dark Lord absent mindedly twirled his wand in his left hand.

But a voice interrupted him from saying anything further. "You weren't."

Every Death Eater's head swiveled to the owner of the voice. They all took in the sight of Harry Potter.

Bellatrix screamed with laughter and bounded to her feet. _He is giving himself up! The Dark Lord will rule over all!_

"HARRY! NO!" the big oaf shouted as he struggled against the invisible restraints. "NO! NO! HARRY, WHAT'RE YEH—?"

Rowle, closest to Hagrid brandished his wand, annoyed with the shouting. "QUIET!" Hagrid's shouting ceased and his whole body stiffened.

Bellatrix stepped forward, her wand down in her right hand and her head jolting from Harry to her Master.

All of the Death Eaters fell quiet again, waiting eagerly to see what would happen next.

Very, very softly, the Dark Lord whispered in the silence, "Harry Potter…The Boy Who Lived."

Bellatrix grinned, still panting from her laughter.

"Avada" the Dark Lord spoke very slowly, as though he was cherishing the moment that he would take down his enemy, "Kedevra."

The green light flashed in the night. Like the echo of a noise, it could be seen by those even outside of the forest. In the blaze, Harry Potter fell hard to his knees and then landed on his stomach in the dirt.

The Dark Lord was thrown back at the power it took to curse the boy. He landed on his back, a few feet from where he stood in the first place. His eyes were closed when Bellatrix looked at him.

Bellatrix gasped dramatically. "My Lord…._my Lord_…"

The Death Eaters began whispering and shuffling around, trying to see Potter and their Master the best they could around each other. Some were slowly approaching, but most stayed back, watching from afar.

Bellatrix got down on her knees beside him. "_My Lord_…"

"That will do," the Dark Lord answered, waving her off as he pushed himself off of the ground.

Bellatrix reached out, offering to help lift him from the filthy dirt. "My Lord, let me—"

"I do not require assistance." He raised himself to his full standing height and then looked at Harry, who lay in the dirt, dead. "The boy…is he dead?"

Everyone looked at him, watching for even the smallest minuscule sign of movement.

"You," the Dark Lord pointed his wand to the right of him.

A spark shot out and landed on Narcissa, who yelped and grabbed her shoulder.

"Tell me whether he is dead." He commanded.

Everyone stared at her as she walked cautiously over to Harry Potter. Narcissa leaned down and crouched over him. She began checking for signs of life in his pathetic body. Her hands checked his eyes and his heartbeat. Her face looked for signs of breathing emanating from his lips. "He is dead!" she declared to everyone watching.

Bellatrix doubled-over, screaming, laughing and crying for her Master. The Death Eaters started shouting, hollering and shooting delighted sparks into the air.

"You see?" the Dark Lord called loudly. "Harry Potter is dead by my hand, and no man alive can threaten me now! Watch! Crucio!" His wand swished at the boy.

Harry Potter was lifted off of the ground and flying through the air violently but limply. No pain would surge through his body, just magic from the Dark Lord.

They all watched, hooting and laughing at 'The Boy Who Lived.'

The Dark Lord stopped the laughter. "Now, we go to the castle and show them what has become of their hero. Who shall drag the body? No…Wait…." He turned around and smiled viciously up at the oaf. "You carry him. He will be nice and visible in your arms, will he not? Pick up your little friend, Hagrid. And the glasses…put on the glasses…he must be recognizable!"

Nott stood and rushed over immediately and shoved his spectacles onto his face with a great laugh.

Rowle removed all the invisible ropes that bound Hagrid's body to a massive tree. When released, he did not make any moves to escape, but just walked to Harry, and picked him up very tenderly. He looked down at his friend, crying uncontrollably.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

The Dark Lord looked up at him, disgusted. He removed Nagini from the aura he encircled her with and rested her over his shoulders. "Move."

They all encircled Hagrid and Harry as they marched triumphantly to the castle. Two giants followed the crowd, eager to get in on the action.

A pack of centaurs that they passed stopped and watched them pass.

"BANE!" Hagrid nearly screamed. "Happy now, are yeh? That yeh didn't fight yeh cowardly bunch o' nags? Are yeh happy Harry Potters…d-dead?" He sobbed again.

The crowd kept moving through the path. Once they had reached the border of the forest, the Dark Lord held up his wand and commanded, "Stop."

He held his wand to his neck and looked at the giant stone castle. His voice, cold, high and clear, quadrupled in volume and echoed through the air, so all—even inside—could hear what he had to say. "Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives fro him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone."

Bellatrix sniggered.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we will build together."

No sound could be heard. Bellatrix figured this could either be very bad, or very good. She looked over at her Master who stared angrily at the castle.

"Come."

The walked over to the open entrance of the castle.

"Stop." The Dark Lord held out an arm.

The Death Eaters spread out around their Master before they would walk into the castle alongside and behind him.

"NO!" screamed Professor McGonagall, the first to see the dead hero, the dead Harry Potter.

Bellatrix laughed at her mortified face. She laughed at all of their despair as every teacher and student screamed "NO" and "HARRY". She soaked it all up and laughed.

"SILENCE," roared the Dark Lord. He pointed his wand over the crowd and cast a spell that quieted them all, restraining their voices. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

Bellatrix was panting again; her merciless eyes scanned the school.

"He beat you!" screamed the red-haired boy who had been in her home. His calling out caused uproar from the students as they broke the Dark Lord's spell.

The Dark Lord, somewhat agitated, cast another spell over the crowd, quieting them again for a second time.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds…killed while trying to save himself…"

A child threw himself from the gathering of teachers and students and made a charge to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord flicked his wand, laughing, and disarmed the boy.

When the boy looked up at the Death Eaters who were all posed around the Dark Lord like they were now the superior authority, Bellatrix immediately recognized him and gave an amused laugh.

"And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle has lost?"

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?" Bellatrix's eyes lit with joy as she watched her Lord smile.

"Ah, yes, I remember. But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" the Dark Lord asked with a fake tenderness.

"So what if I am?" asked Neville loudly so that his allies could hear.

"You spirit bravery and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom." The Dark Lord cocked his head to the side and stroked Nagini lightly on her head.

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!" Neville threw a fist into the air as he turned around and the Great Hall exploded from the mass.

The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes. "Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head, be it." The Dark Lord raised his wand high into the air and the Sorting Hat soared in through a broken window and floated above Neville's head. "There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

The Dark Lord made another swish of his wand and Neville was put under a body-binding hex as the Sorting Hat was pushed over his eyes.

Bellatrix stared at the crowd before her. Some made a twitch to go up and rescue him. Though, all in unison, the Death Eaters pointed their wands at the throng and they stayed back, terrified of the masked minions of the Dark Lord.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me." He jerked his wand and the Hat, still resting upon the head of the boy, engulfed in flames.

Then, havoc broke loose in the Hall.

War calls could be heard from outside of the school and a small giant pushed through the walls, closely followed by the centaurs. The Dark Lord's giants charged at the other coming in.

Arrows from the centaurs descended upon the Death Eaters.

They scattered, trying to avoid the weapons and began attacking the school's inhabitants. One call, however, got most of their attention:

"HARRY! HARRY! WHERE'S HARRY?!" shouted Hagrid as he looked dumbly over his hands.

People were pouring into the Great Hall from every direction.

As Bellatrix raced through the Great Hall in search of her Master, she watched as many Hogwarts supporters went down…one being Fred Weasley and another being Remus Lupin.

Remus Lupin. That was a sure sign that his wife was near…she saw a flash of lime green hair that instantly caught her attention. "Filth! Betrayer of the Blacks! I will finish you once and for all! NYMPHADORA!" she screamed at the woman.

Nymphadora spun around and saw her immediate death.

"AVADA KEDEVRA!" Bellatrix shrieked as soon as Nymphadora faced her.

Nymphadora's life was immediately exterminated. There was no reaction other than a stern, challenging look resting upon her face as she fell.

Bellatrix smiled as she towered over her dead niece. Then, she snarled and looked around for anyone else who dared to cross her path.

"How dare you!" shouted a small, bleach-blonde haired girl from behind Bellatrix.

She swiveled around in her boots to face three little girls, all about sixteen or seventeen years old. "How DARE I? How dare I what, you little brats? Heal the wounds that have scarred the most Ancient Black tree?" Bellatrix laughed haughtily at their 'bravery.'

"How dare you—" the girl was interrupted by the girl on her right side…the mud-blood little monster that she had once overtaken in her home.

Bellatrix swiped her wand and began dueling the three. She shot dark magic at them without any remorse—burning, searing, and cutting the flesh of her opponents. She then shot a Killing Curse that barely missed the red-headed girl.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" screamed a voice from behind Bellatrix.

Bellatrix turned on her heels and found another red-haired woman marching towards her. She was short, fat and very angry. Bellatrix's high-pitched screaming laughter erupted from her throat when she saw the woman.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Molly Weasley demanded, whirling her wand over her head.

Bellatrix began hexing the woman, swishing her wand quicker than she thought she could. It sliced through the air, reading her thoughts.

Onlookers tried to jump in on the duel. "No! Get back! _Get back!_ She is mine!" Molly hissed through bared teeth.

Bellatrix deflected Molly's spells easily with a flick of her wand. She zoned in on just the two of them, as though everything else was gone and it was just them, dueling to the death. "What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" Bellatrix jested. "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?" She laughed again.

Molly's face flushed with color. "You – will – never – touch – our – children – again!"

Bellatrix laughed mockingly and stared into the eyes of her opponent.

"Avada KEDEVRA!" Molly screamed with her wand clutched straight out in front of her, a foot away from the chest of Bellatrix.

The green light flashed, slamming into Bellatrix's chest, right over her heart. The air left her body, the lights left her eyes, and the laughter left her face. Bellatrix was aware of what had happened. It registered in her brain...everything she had lived for, was to end.

And alas, Bellatrix Lestrange fell to her knees, dying for her great Lord. She fell over onto the ground; face down, dead for her only love.


End file.
